Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur today launched the week-long 'Polythene Hatao Paryavaran Bachao' campaign started by Environment, Science and Technology Department here.
Addressing the students of various schools here, volunteers, representatives of NGOs, jawans of Home Guard and Fire Services, Thakur said that pollution caused by plastic was a matter of concern for the whole world and there is a dire need for environment conservation.
He said that the situation in developed nations was more alarming as they use more plastic than the other countries, thereby making plastic waste management a big challenge for them.
Plastic being a non-biodegradable waste is a health hazard for humans and animals, besides causing environmental degradation.
Thakur said that the then BJP government had totally banned the use of polythene in the state on October 2, 2009, but still many products such as milk, chips, bread come in plastic packing, thus making it essential to launch special campaigns regularly to save our environment from this menace.
He said that the state government was starting projects to produce energy from plastic waste, he added.
The chief minister said that it was the duty of every citizen to come forward to check this menace and emphasised on sensitising the tourists about ill effects of plastic and persuade then to use biodegradable bags.
He also urged the Mahila Mandals, Yuvak Mandals and other NGOs to launch special campaigns to collect polythene and ensure its proper disposal in their respective areas.
Director Environment, Science and Technology D C Rana said that the students and other volunteers would gather plastic waste from the respective areas allotted to them and the same would be collected by the municipal corporation workers for scientific dispose of this waste.
About 1,000 students and volunteers participated in the campaign.
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