Govt asks schools to go plastic free, forms teams to clean beaches, riverfronts

Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan wrote to school principals across India, requesting them to avoid using water bottles, bags, cups, plates, water jugs, folders, trays or pendants made of plastic. 

Institutions have also been encouraged to take up initiatives like adopting water body or ecologically sensitive area near the school and ridding them of plastic waste during the holidays in April and May. 

Based on their performance, the institutions would be certified as ‘Green School/College’, the ministry said in a statement. The ministry has also formed 19 teams which would undertake cleaning of 24 beaches and an equal number of polluted riverfronts and lakes across India. 

Ennore/Tiruvottiyur and Palavakkam near Chennai, and Kanniyakumari are among the beaches. Vaigai river also figures in the list issued by the ministry. Each stretch of beach, riverfront and lake would be earmarked Rs 10 lakh. 

“Cleaning up around important archaeological sites will also be taken up,” the statement said, adding that the efforts that began on May 15 would conclude on June 5. The teams would comprise of senior officials from the ministry, state nodal agencies incharge of school eco-clubs, State Pollution Control Boards, district administration, fisheries colleges located along the coast and other educational and research institutes. 

Students, local community, NGOs, NCC cadets, personnel from BSF, CISF, ITBP, Coast Guard and the public would be part of the drive, said the statement, adding that brooms, baskets and gloves for children, and dustbins would be provided to the volunteers. 

Arrangements will also be made to transport the waste from the beach and riverfronts and safely them disposed of in coordination with local municipal authorities, the ministry added.