New Delhi, May 25 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday underlined the critical importance of environmental cleanliness and recycling, drawing attention to extraordinary efforts from across the country that reflect the spirit of a cleaner, greener India.

Addressing the 122nd episode of his monthly radio programme, Mann Ki Baat, the Prime Minister said, “How can it be possible that there is talk of a clean India and the listeners of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ stay behind? I have full faith that all of you are strengthening this campaign at your level. But today I want to tell you about an example where the resolve for cleanliness conquered even insurmountable challenges.”

He cited a remarkable effort by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), whose team not only scaled the treacherous Mount Makalu — one of the most challenging peaks in the world — but also took up the mission of cleaning the mountain during their expedition.

“Just imagine, a person is climbing snowy mountains, where it is difficult to breathe, there is danger to life at every step, and still that person is engaged in cleaning there,” he said.

“However, they didn’t just climb the mountain… they added another mission of ‘cleanliness’ to their goal. They took up the task of removing the garbage lying near the peak. Just imagine, the members of this team brought down more than 150 kg of non-biodegradable waste with them. Cleaning at such a height is not an easy task. But this shows that where there is determination, the path is created automatically,” the Prime Minister added.

PM Modi then turned attention to the everyday waste generated in homes and offices, especially paper waste.

“A lot of paper waste is generated in our homes and offices every day. Perhaps, we consider it normal, but you will be surprised to know that about a fourth of the country’s landfill waste is related to paper,” he said.

Encouraging citizens to rethink their waste habits, he praised several Indian startups for their innovation in recycling. “Today, there is a need for every person to think in this direction. I am happy to know that many startups in India are doing excellent work in this sector.”

“In many cities like Visakhapatnam and Gurugram, many startups are adopting innovative methods of paper recycling. Some are making packaging boards from recycled paper, others are making newspaper recycling easier through digital methods,” he added.

He also mentioned Jalna, where some startups are producing packaging rolls and paper cores entirely from recycled material.

Highlighting the environmental impact, he said, “You will also be inspired by knowing that recycling one ton of paper saves 17 trees from being cut and thousands of litres of water are saved.”

Calling on every citizen to play a role, PM Modi said, “Just think, when mountaineers can bring back waste under such difficult conditions, we too should definitely contribute to recycling by separating paper in our homes or offices. When every citizen of the country thinks about what better one could do for the country, only then can we bring about a big change, together.”

–IANS

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