Puri: District administration here will hold a massive awareness rally October 2 to encourage people to give up single-use plastic products.
Collector Balwant Singh said the administration is mulling an initiative wherein volunteers will go door to door to collect single-use plastic items. Besides, they will persuade the citizens to shun use of the unhealthy plastics for more environment-friendly alternatives.
The district administration is roping in students, teachers, local small business and hotel owners to ensure a successful plastic ban drive. They will make a huge human chain to create awareness on polythene hazard and pollution-free city.
The state government has imposed a ban on plastic bags, cups and straws starting October 2 – the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Collector Balwant Singh said. The banned items include plastic bags, cups, plates, thermocol, small bottles, straws and certain types of sachets, he added.
Notably, in the recent past, Puri district administration took up a mega beach cleanliness drive where school and college students, vendors, photographers, lifeguards, tourist guides, hotel owners and their employees, forest department, panchayati raj institutions, the fishermen community, police and fire services, SHG members, senior citizens and NGO activists, all participated to create awareness on polythene hazard and a pollution-free shoreline.
PNN