As Maharashtra govt bans artificial blooms, vendors stare at gloom ahead of festival season | Mumbai News

Mumbai: The state govt has banned artificial flowers after receiving complaints from legislators that these are a health hazard and are crushing the floriculture industry in the state. The announcement in the assembly on Wednesday came just ahead of the festival months, hitting livelihoods in generations-old businesses and leaving a question mark over what vendors are to do after having stocked up for Ganeshotsav, Eid and peak wedding season.“After a meeting with the chief minister, it was decided to permanently ban artificial flowers in the state,” horticulture minister Bharat Gogawale said in the assembly.The govt says the move is part of its environmental push — curbing the use of plastic and non-biodegradable materials — but traders say not all artificial flowers fall in that category.“Our flowers are made of cloth, not plastic,” Mehtaab, a 25-year-old vendor, said. “These can be washed and reused. They’re not single-use. So why ban them?”The issue of health hazards of artificial flowers was raised in the assembly by Shiv Sena MLA Mahesh Shinde, who warned that plastic flowers contain toxic substances such as titanium dioxide, which pose serious health risks. “Some European countries have already banned plastic flowers. We should do the same. Instead, such flowers are being imported,” he said.Shinde said the plastic flower industry was destroying floriculture and impacting the livelihood of farmers. “In Satara, there were around 1,300 greenhouses dedicated to flower cultivation. Today, fewer than 50 remain,” he said. In Verne village alone — once home to 375 greenhouses — the flower trade is now on the brink of extinction, said the MLA.Shinde’s concerns found wide support across the political spectrum. Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Kailas Patil, Congress politician Nana Patole and BJP member Narayan Kuche all echoed the call for a ban. “These artificial plastic flowers come from China. They do not decompose and spoil the soil on which farmers grow their crops,” Patole said. “The environment ministry needs to get involved and help with the ban,” MLA Kailash Patil said.Gogawale assured the house that a high-level meeting would be convened before the end of the monsoon session. He said officials from the environment ministry would also participate to discuss the issue in detail.Across the city, as the festival lights begin to go up, stalls that once burst with vibrant orchids, roses and jasmine, albeit not real ones, are now filled with uncertainty and fear.For many, the sale of the artificial flowers offers a steady, year-round source of income. In Lohar Chawl, Mumbai’s wholesale market known for its decorative goods, Mohammad Sajid, a 52-year-old vendor, has been selling artificial flowers for decades from a shop his family has run for over 40 years.“I sit here from 12 pm to 9 pm every day and come from far to sell these flowers. Many come from as far as Igatpuri. This is a generational business — we are from this city. Now where will we go if they remove us?” he said. Seen widely in mandaps during Ganeshotsav and Eid, and even during Moharram processions, artificial flowers are commonly used for wedding decorations, said a vendor from Abdul Rehman street. These flowers are a cheaper, reusable and weather-resistant alternative to fresh ones, said the vendor. “When they say it’s banned, we will need time to sell the inventory we already have. What are we to do with all the goods we have already purchased? The govt must offer solutions as well,” a shopkeeper said. “Things from China were banned too, but they gave time. These are our goods — how will we just give them away?” he said.For many, this is not just about business — it’s about survival. “As an owner of a shop I offer employment to at least four more people. The will be unemployed because of this decision. As a domino effect, crime rates will go up as people will lose their source of income,” Sajid said, gesturing at his small staff. The announcement has come with little clarity, and traders are unsure whether cloth-based flowers are included in the ban or whether there will be exemptions. In the absence of a clear policy or transition plan, many say they feel abandoned. “All over the city, there are so many artificial flower shops. Where will they all go?It’s our bread and butter,” a store owner said.