Camapaign against plastic should involve all stakeholders

Visakhapatnam: The campaign against the plastic use can only be successful when all stakeholders come forward to take it up as a crusade, said Justice Uday Umesh Lalit, Judge, Supreme Court, and Executive Chairman of National Legal Services Authority (NALSA).

Participating as chief guest at the NALSA new module programme that focused on 'say no to plastics', 'save environment' and issues concerning unorganised labour at a programme, organised under the aegis of NALSA in Visakhapatnam on Thursday, he said about 40 percent of plastics, used in everyday life, are single-use plastics. The tremendous load of 'non-biodegradable' plastic material causes immense damage to the planet and the lives of future generations will be at risk, if action is not taken now," he stated.

He said the ban on 'single use plastics' would come into force with effect from July 1. The manufacturers have been given sufficient time and the onus lies on the producers to recycle the plastic. Referring to the earlier days, he recalled how glass bottles were used to supply milk to households then and how people used to lead a hassle-free life sans plastic.

Speaking further, Justice Lalit wanted a fourth 'R' to be added to the 3 Rs - 'reduce, reuse and recycle' - to reduce the load of plastic on the planet. According to him, the fourth R stands for 'refuse' plastic carry bags.

Justice PK Mishra, Chief Justice of the AP High Court, said that NALSA has initiated a new module on different social issues and plastic was its components.

Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah of Patna High Court, Advocate General of AP S Sriram, District Judge A Hari Haranadha Sarma, Vydyula Ravindra Prasad, president Bar Association, K Rama Jogeswara Rao, vice chairman Bar Council of AP, collector A Mallikarjuna, city police commissioner Ch. Srikanth, municipal commissioner G Lakshmisha and Andhra University vice chancellor PVGD Prasad Reddy spoke.

Meanwhile, Justice Uday Umesh Lalit gave away laptops to five differently-abled persons and mobile phones to four that was initiated by Welfare of Differently Abled, Transgender and Senior Citizens Department.

Also, Justice Lalit joined the distribution of artificial limbs initiated by Gurudeva Charitable Trust at the venue. About 20 differently-abled persons received artificial limbs and sticks, hearing aids, wheelchairs at the free distribution programme led by chairman of the trust Raparti Jagadish Kumar and other members. Some of the NGO representatives and entrepreneurs also had put up stalls at the Andhra University Convention Centre.