MASSIVE: 50 lakh armed forces personnel to wage war against plastic on Dec 7

The Army, Navy, Air Force and the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) will be out on the streets, markets, tourist spots and beaches on Saturday, December 7 to carry out a war against plastic. According to the officials, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will lead a sanitation-themed event called as 'Swachhta Day'. The events will be organised at Delhi Cantonment on December 7. 

50 lakh armed officials to participate

According to officials, all the armed forces- Army, Air Force, and Navy, Indian Coast Guard, and other organisations such as Border Roads Organisation (BRO), National Cadet Corps (NCC), Canteen Services Division (CSD), Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs), Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), among others will actively participate in the 'Swachhta' campaign. Furthermore, there would also be a competition among the units. 

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About the 'Swachhta Day' event

According to the Ministry of Defence, the event is aiming to mobilise people and the local communities to participate in plogging events throughout the country. It is organised under the Swachhta Pakhwada (sanitation fortnight). The aim is also to raise awareness among the community, collect plastic waste, and keep the surroundings plastic-free. Furthermore, it is reported that the event's slogan is ''Plastic Se Raksha – Swachhata Hi Suraksha''.

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Swachh Bharat Mission

The Swachh Bharat Mission is one of the flagship missions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It was launched in 2014 on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Furthermore, PM Modi has also said that India has to achieve the goal of ending the usage of single-use plastic by the year 2022. 

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(With agency inputs)