Come Sunday and Sikkim will herald a new era.
As notified earlier, the state will no longer import select non-organic vegetables and fruits from outside the state from April 1.
Meanwhile, officials of the concerned departments are all geared up to launch inspection drives across the markets to ensure that no vendor sells non-organic products enlisted in the notification.
Sources from the department have warned that any vendor found selling the banned vegetables and fruits, their products would be seized and later disposed later.
Those non-organic vegetables which are banned for selling in Sikkim from April 1 are beans, brinjal, bitter gourd, bottle gourd, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, capsicum, carrot, chayote, cucumber, drumstick, lady’s finger, leafy vegetables, spinach, pea, radish, tomato and pointed gourd.
Banana, guava, orange, papaya, ginger, green chilli and turmeric are also in the list.
A sharp vigil will also be maintained on those vegetable vendors, who mostly come from Siliguri, and supply products particularly to the companies and hotels.
However, the vendors are wary over controlling the prices of the local organic products and their availability.
With the ban day drawing nearer, the prices of organic vegetables are soaring in the State.
All the vegetables will be in crisis, feel the vegetable vendors.
Many were of the opinion that though organic cabbages, cauliflowers and beans may be able to meet the demands, but the other vegetables will face acute shortage.