MC staff to urge religious bodies against using plastic products

Ludhiana: Civic officials have organized meetings with various religious organizations in all four zones on Thursday to create awareness regarding the upcoming ban on plastic products in the country. In an ongoing drive against plastic, officials called up heads of various religious bodies to convince their followers to curb the use of plastic goods.
The heads of these organisations were also asked to shun the use of plastic material in religious programmes being organized by them, and also in the rath yatras they were organizing at every festival. They were asked to stop using plastic carrybags, thermocol, and plastic crockery, which is usually used in shobha yatras, langars, and other events. They were also asked to convince residents about the segregation of waste at source, and those who were generating their waste in bulk should handle it at their level.
The MC has started ‘Swachhta Hi Sewa’ campaign from September 11, which will continue until October 27. There is a plan to use religious gatherings in the festival season to reach out to masses with the message of plastic being harmful to nature, and advocating for a ban on its use.
Officials have planned a string of activities spread over a month with school and college students, various religious heads, market associations, vegetable vendors, zone-wise dhabas, councillors, ragpickers, waste collectors, various representatives from industries, and NGOs to elicit their suggestions on curbing the use of plastic.