Assam's Barak Valley gets 'Plastic Bank' to dispose single-use plastic

Assam's Barak Valley gets a plastic bank where citizens can go and deposit single-use plastic items. This initiative was taken by the Hailakandi Municipal Board following the district administration's decision to ban single-use plastic in August 2019. Keerthi Jalli, the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Hailakandi district backed the initiative. He said the initiative was undertaken to bring about behaviour modification and to encourage an eco-friendly lifestyle.

"Under the 'Swachhata Hi Seva' campaign, single-use of plastic has been banned. We feel banning and penalising is the easier part. The bigger challenge is in bringing about behavior modification and encouraging an eco-friendly lifestyle," said Jalli.

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Discard single-use plastic

Jalli urged the citizens to shun single-use plastic and asserted that water bottles made of plastic, water pouches and plastic covers would be collected by the bank. The items collected by the plastic bank will be sent to cement factories for recycling. Acknowledging her appeal, some vendors voluntarily deposited their stockpiles of plastic bags at the ban. Jalli in return gave them Bags made of paper and cloth and appealed the traders to discard single-use plastic and help the local SHGs by endorsing their handmade products for ushering in a healthy and wealthy Hailakandi. Prime Minister Modi in his speech earlier had urged people to shun single-use plastic and encouraged usage of jute and cloth bags to protect the environment.

"By October 2, on the birth anniversary of Dear Bapu (Mahatma Gandhi), I want to urge the citizens to give up single-use plastic," Modi said on the 73rd Independence Day while addressing the nation.

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Implementation of the Initiatives by the government

The Chief Minister of Assam Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday, September 28, ceremonially offered nutritious food to pregnant women and children as part of the government's Poshan Maah initiative in Silchar. This aims to achieve improvement in the nutritional status of children, adolescent girls, pregnant women, and lactating mothers. The CM at the valedictory function of Poshan Maah and the launch of Beti Bachao on Saturday also said the government has put special focus on the rapid development of the Barak valley and he urged everyone to work towards realizing the true potentialities & possibilities of the valley. The CM also stressed on imparting quality education and skill development training to youths.

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(With Inputs from PTI)