Govt official: Ending plastic disposal on land, water ultimate goal

ultimate goal is to stop disposal of plastic on land and water and ensure it is recycled, a top environment ministry official said on Wednesday. Speaking on government initiative to reduce use of single-use plastic beginning Gandhi Jayanti on Wednesday, which has repeatedly been spoken of by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and or cabinet ministers, Environment Secretary C K Mishra said it will certainly have results.

'Plastic must be recycled'

"Our end goal is, whatever plastic is used must t be thrown on land and water. It must be recycled. It's a great moment for this country, this entire exercise is led by prime minister himself. It will certainly have results. "We will sensitize people about ill-effects of plastic and urge people to reduce it. We will start talking to people, industry and ors to find alternatives to single-use plastic and emphasise hugely on recycling whatever we are using," Mishra said.

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PM Modi roots for a Plastic-Free India

PM Modi h in August urged people to observe 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on October 2 as a day to begin efforts to make India plastic-free. However, some Ministry officials on Wednesday said re was publicity campaign or event being held to mark movement. " such event to launch campaign or mass movement to ban single-use plastic is taking place today, a ministry official said. At an event on Monday, environment secretary h said, "October 2 onwards, under Swachh Bharat campaign, entire country will start collecting plastic items from houses, rosides, riverside etc and industries will pick it up and take it to recycle or to cement plants and dispose of it." He h said that Ministry has on several occasions issued visories to every state on what are actions to be taken at government level. Secretary h said that re is a need to ensure that by 2022, single-use plastic is eliminated from society.

Prime Minister h on two occasions on Independence Day and during 14th conference of parties to UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) hosted by India last month said it was time to say "goodbye" to single-use plastic and urged people to try to curb its use from October 2, 2019. In guidelines issued to states and Union Territories earlier, environment secretary h said all government offices must completely ban all s of plastic carry bags, rmocol disposable cutlery and discour use of artificial banners, flags, flowers, water bottles, plastic folders, etc. 

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