Anti-plastic drive in Himachal Pradesh gets a shot in arm

Dharamsala, Dec 22 : Himachal Pradesh Government has launched a mass week-long campaign to make the State free of plastic by removing all polythene bags from residential areas and hillsides.

This programme oriented towards healthy environment was launched on Monday and several other places in the State.

Chief Minister P K Dhumal flagged off a rally to get rid of polythene materials in and around Dharamsala.

As part of the campaign, activists and volunteers managed to salvage recyclable plastic waste that was loaded into four trucks.

Meanwhile, the State government has taken up usage of waste plastic as a reinforcing medium in the construction of roads.

Many school students also participated in the programme that was made livelier with skits and dramas.

To make the event interesting, a documentary film produced by the Deer Park Institute was also screened.

Talking to reporters, Prashant Verma, Director of Deer Park Institute appreciated the initiatives of the state government in making Himachal Pradesh free of plastic waste materials.

'The challenge is that the policy will come but if there is no segregation at home, if people do not take up their responsibility to separate dry and wet waste, it will be very difficult for the PWD (Public Works Department) to take everything mixed. How will the PWD take everything mixed? So we want to continue at the level of education. People must understand what is waste, understand segregation of waste at source which is very simple. I mean just by having two dustbins at home one for dry garbage and one for wet garbage and then you can recycle or reuse, you know,' he said.

The government of Himachal Pradesh had imposed a total ban on the production, storage, use, sale and distribution of all types of polythene bags made of non-biodegradable materials while the use of paper and jute bags is being encouraged on a wide scale.

--ANI