Indore: Former secretary of Board Of Control For Cricket In India (BCCI) Sanjay Jagdale on Friday laid stress on reducing the use of plastics at sport events. He was speaking at the function, ‘Environmental Discourse Week: Beat Plastic Pollution’ organised at Jimmy McGilligan centre of Sustainable Development.
The function was attended by students of Shri Vaishnav Vidyapeeth Vishwavidyalaya. “Plastic, tobacco and alcohol are three major enemies of our society and their use by youngsters is increasing,” Jagdale said. He said BCCI did its best in Indore to keep cricket matches plastic-free but it cannot control its use in other Indian Premier League matches.
According to Jagdale, IPL is a commercial venture because of businessmen who want to make money. He said 1.25 lakh water cups are consumed in every match. “Investors demand advertisement and branding in form of plastic banners and hoardings but these demands result in environment pollution,” Jagdale remarked. He said he is planning to write a letter to BCCI with a request to ban plastics in IPL matches.
“We can also approach popular cricketers to get their support for this,” Jagdale said. In her address, Padma Shri awardee Janak Palta McGilligan said, “We will have to find alternative for plastic and innovate ways to consume water.” She said clean water should be provided in earthen pots in public areas. “We can provide drinking water in ‘kullads’. I wonder why IPL cannot afford ‘kullads’ when they spend so much (on other things),” Janak said. She said production and use of smokeless tobacco is banned by Indian government. “Yet it is being manufactured and even promoted by Bollywood stars,” Janak said. Gynaecologist Dr Divya Gupta showed recyclable bags prepared by her organisation Jwala.