Mumbai, June 5 (IANS) On the occasion of World Environment Day on Thursday, a campaign to eradicate single-use plastic was conducted at Girgaon Chowpatty in the presence of the state Environment and Climate Change Minister Pankaja Munde.

The Environment Department has taken steps to protect “Mother Earth”, and Minister Munde appealed to citizens to avoid the use of single-use plastic.

This campaign was organised jointly by the Department of Environment and Climate Change, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) at Girgaon Chowpatty. MPCB Chairman Siddhesh Kadam, Member Secretary Dr Avinash Dhakne, students from various colleges, BMC sanitation workers, and citizens were present on this occasion.

Minister Munde and MPCB chairman Kadam inspected the cleanliness at Girgaon Chowpatty and took a stock on how cleanliness is being maintained at the site.

They also participated in cleaning activities along with sanitation workers.

The Minister said that the Environment and Climate Change Department and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board have been running a campaign to make the state free from single-use plastic from May 22.

“We must say no to single-use plastic and completely stop its usage. Efforts are underway to find ways to reuse such plastic. Several trusts are being involved in this initiative,” she said.

Public awareness campaigns are being conducted at religious places, hospitals, pharmacies, and other places to curb plastic usage,” she added.

Awareness was also created on planting and preserving trees, avoiding plastic use, saving water, opting for environment-friendly alternatives like solar energy and cycling, and using cloth bags, said the government release.

Various institutions presented street plays to create awareness about the ban on single-use plastic. Members of the Muktai Solid Waste Management Service Institute and students from Joshi-Bedekar College and other institutions participated in the cleanliness drive by raising slogans and cleaning up garbage at the Chowpatty, said the release.

–IANS

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