NEW DELHI: South Delhi Municipal Corporation on Tuesday carried out a drive to remove plastic waste from the central verge, roadsides and other public areas. The sanitation drive took place in markets, public places, schools and parks.
As part of the drive, workers of the civic body sweeped the roads in south Delhi areas multiple times and lifted the plastic waste lying on them.
“Different stretches of around 70 kilometres area were cleaned and nearly 250 kilograms of plastic waste were lifted from the green belts falling under the jurisdiction of Najafgarh zone,” said a senior civic body official.
On the same day, 10 more ‘garbage cafes’ where meal coupons would be provided to those depositing plastic waste, were opened in Najafgarh localities, taking the total number of the cafes in the zone to 11. SDMC has a total of 34 such cafes in its jurisdiction.
“Anybody depositing one kilogram of plastic waste with garbage cafes will get a coupon for a free breakfast, lunch, or dinner in restaurants, which are our partners for the green initiative. The plastic waste may include empty plastic water bottles, cold drink bottles, plastic cans and other such items,” said another SDMC official.
Last month, the south civic body had opened 23 garbage cafes, offering free meals in restaurants for one kilogram of plastic waste. Under this unique initiative, 12 such cafes were opened in the south zone, 10 in the central zone and one in the west zone.
“The initiative will motivate citizens of Delhi to come forward and reduce the city’s plastic waste and get rewarded for the same in the form of free meals,” said the official.