KANPUR: With a statewide ban imposed on manufacturing, sale and stocking of polythene, 2500 factories manufacturing polythene have closed down in the state. Of these, 650 factories are in Kanpur alone. The production at these factories have reduced to zero.The workers in these factories have become unemployed. The Uttar Pradesh Plastic Manufacturers Welfare Association has termed the state government's decision of banning polythene to be taken in a haste. The association is now hopeful that they would get some relief from the Allahabad high court when their writ would be heard on February 3.According to chairman of UP plastic manufacturers welfare association, Vijay Kapoor there are 2500 polythene making factories in the state of which, 650 are in Kanpur alone. He said that these factories are no more operational and that the entire industry in the state is at stake."Our plastic units have closed down and this has rendered more than one lakh workers jobless in Kanpur alone. The ban on plastic is going to affect another three lakh workers in the entire state. About one crore people are directly or indirectly associated with this industry who will suffer now. The government should have heard us once before taking the decision of banning the polythene", said Vijay Kapoor, a leading industralist while talking to TOI."Who will address our woes and how will these workers be accomodated now. Does government has any plans to provide employment to the labourers who were employed in 2500 polythene factories", he said.Similar were the sentiments of President of the association, Harish Israni, who said that the government should allow the manufacturing of plastic above 40 microns instead of banning it completely. He said that this plastic type will not cause damage to the environment."We are eagerly waiting for what the high court will say on a hearing of a writ on February 3. We had filed a writ in the high court against the decision of the state government of banning the polythene manufacturing to get some respite. Lets see what happens", said Harish Israni.Israni said that the government has taken the decision in a hurry and that it should have allowed the plastic manufacturers to put their view before imposing this ban.Importantly, the ban on the polythene has led to dumping of the large quantities of plastic in the factories and the godowns. The traders are forced to destroy the existing lot of goods worth crores of rupees. The plastic manufacturers and the traders are now a troubled lot on witnessing massives losses which they will incur.The state government had issue notification regarding imposing ban on manufacturing, sale and stocking of plastic on December 22 and it was on January 21 that the notification came into implementation. The hopes of the association were dashed when during the notification period the state government did not revoke its notification.The government on the other hand had stated that the ban on polythene is necessary to save environment from pollution