Shun plastic use: CS LV Subramanyam to people

Vijayawada: Chief Secretary L V Subramanyam has stressed upon the need to prevent the usage of harmful plastic materials, particularly the plastic water glasses, carry bags and bottles to make the city free from the plastic menace.

He said the use of plastic materials was harmful to health and suggested to people to avoid using those items. Participating in an awareness programme conducted by the district administration on the plastic ban at Geeta Nagar in the city on Sunday, the CS thanked both print and electronic media for giving extensive coverage to transform the city into plastic-free city.

He said it has become a common practice for the people to purchase groceries and taking to home in the plastic carry bags. He recalled during his childhood days, people used to carry cloth bags to bring groceries and vegetables and the tendency gradually vanished in the society.

Highlighting the ill-effects of plastic, the Chief Secretary said the rainwater was also not recharging the underground water table as the plastic carry bags and other waste materials preventing it.

He also came down heavily on the head offices of the State government for not using paper made glasses for sipping coffee and tea and suggested that similar trend should be followed in district offices and private offices in the city and state.

District Collector Md Imtiaz said the district administration has launched awareness programmes for the last two months and announced that mobile teams will be launched to intensify the campaign.

Municipal Commissioner Prasanna Venkatesh said the civic body in association with the NGOs launched distribution of jute bags free of cost and at nominal price in the city and been asking the people to avoid using the harmful plastic carry bags particularly, the water glasses, polythene covers, carry bags and other disposable products.

He said that efforts were on to make city free from plastic problem by October 2. Chief Secretary L V Subramanyam, Md Imtiaz and Prasanna Venkatesh distributed jute bags to some citizens during the programme.