Leh celebrates 150th Gandhi Jayanti, organises cleanliness drive

A mass cleanliness drive and awareness programme were organised in Leh on Wednesday on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi's 150 birth anniversary. According to the reports, the drive was organised by the District Legal Service Authority (DLSA), Merchant Association, Hotel and Guest House Association (HGHA), Tour and Travel Association and others. According to the General Secretary of Merchant Association, Tashi Dawa, the cleanliness drive was taken out to celebrate Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary. He also stated that the association is completely against plastic, and they are taking initiatives to create awareness among people. It was further revealed that the drive was inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's fight against the use of single-use plastic.

'I Live Simply' movement

The Students' Educational and Cultural Movement launched an 'I Live Simply' movement on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary on Wednesday. It was launched during an event attended by 200 students from all parts of Ladakh. According to the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh, they will be urging people of the world to make their contribution to healing the planet through a unique crowd-funding campaign where one does not pay any money but makes behaviour change pledges on an internet site. The founding-director of the Students' Educational and Cultural Movement, Sonam Wangchuk stated that Gandhi's message of 'Simple living' is the most appropriate in today's environmental challenges. As Ladakh has been facing the brunt of climate change due to frequent flash floods and droughts, they have come up with an initiative to spread awareness, he added. 

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PM Modi's war against single-use plastic

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday set a target for India to achieve its goal of ending the usage of single-use plastic by the year 2022. According to him, Sanitation, Environment Protection, and Life Protection were the three subjects that Gandhi lived by. He announced the target at a gathering at the Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad on the occasion of 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on Wednesday.

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(With ANI inputs)