UGC directs HEIs to make its campuses plastic-free

PUNE: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has insisted that all higher educational institutes (HEIs) should make their campuses a plastic-free zone.

This year, the ‘Swachhata Hi Seva Campaign’ focuses on the elimination of the use of plastic and disposing of the plastic waste. The campaign will be launched by the Central government from September 11 to October 2.

To participate, the commission stated that universities and its affiliated colleges in the country can make efforts to achieve this objective by adopting policies and practices towards a cleaner and plastic-free campuses.

Students should be encouraged to do shramdaan -- pick up any plastic waste in their surroundings and bring them to a central location in the institution. The plastic waste collected should be disposed of in consultation with the district/municipal/gram panchayat administration so that it could be used for effective recycling, road construction or in the cement industry.

“All the HEIs in the country shall strive to make their campuses ‘plastic-free’ by systematically banning the use of plastics and replacing the same with suitable environment-friendly substitutes,” stated UGC. 

The UGC has also directed HEIs which have adopted villages under Unnat Bharat Abhiyan to undertake a campaign in their adopted villages till they are converted into ‘plastic-free villages’ through promoting awareness. 

HEIs have been asked to upload the information about the number of students, teachers, staff and officials who have participated in this campaign along with photographs and videos on the university activity monitoring portal of UGC (https://unrur.ugc.ac.in/uamp/) under the event Swachhata Hi Sewa latest by October 2, 5 pm.

SUGGESTED MEASURES
- Ban use of single-use plastics in canteens and shopping complexes in the institution’s premises and hostels, etc. 
- Carry out awareness drives and sensitisation workshops on the harmful impacts of single-use plastics.
- Mandate all students to avoid bringing non-bio-degradable plastic items to the institution.
- Encourage students to sensitise their respective households about the harmful effects of plastics and make their households ‘plastic-free’.
- Install necessary alternative facilities like water units to avoid the use of plastic water bottles and encourage the use of alternative solutions like cloth bags, paper bags etc. instead of plastic bottles, plastic bags, plastic covers on campuses.