VMC to launch special drive to check plastic menace in city

Vijayawada: To get rid of the plastic and polythene covers menace in Vijayawada city, the Municipal Corporation has decided to launch a special drive to create awareness on the harmful effects of using polythene carry bags and plastic bags in the city. The civic body will promote the eco-friendly jute bags, cloth bags and paper bags in a phased manner and will take the help of Self-Help Groups, NGOs and other organisations in this regard.

The VMC is planning to enter agreement with some organisations to procure and sell the jute bags to the people on subsidised prices. The jute bags are expensive compared to plastic carry bags. So, the VMC is planning to take initiative and purchase the jute bags in bulk quantities so that it can sell it at cheaper rate on subsidised price. The main objective of this plan is to encourage people to use eco-friendly jute bags.

The VMC staff is facing many hardships due to dumping of polythene covers, plastic bottles and other waste plastic materials in the side drains by denizens. These plastic materials are choking the flow of water in the side drains, which is the root cause of many problems in the city.

The VMC has been trying to educate people on avoiding the use of polythene covers, which are used by traders particularly the fruit vendors, grocery shops, flower vendors etc. People too habituated to use these harmful polythene covers and carry bags.

Every day more than 400 tonnes of garbage is lifted from the city to the dumping yards. Polythene covers and plastic carry bags constitute sizeable chunk of garbage across the city. Moreover, many people habituated to dump the garbage covers on the side drains obstructing the flow of sewage waters.

To put an end to this menace and to promote eco-friendly jute bags, the VMC is planning to procure jute bags in large quantity and distribute to people on subsidy price, said Prasanna Venkatesh, Commissioner of VMC.

He told media the civic body would conduct a series of meetings with the stakeholders and try to create awareness on the benefits of using eco-friendly jute bags, paper bags and cloth bags in the city.

He said training will be imparted to Self Help Groups for stitching of cloth bags, which can be made with unused old clothes. Moreover, special training will be given to Self-help groups in making eco-friendly paper bags. The civic body is also planning to increase the capacity of plastic recycling plant located at the excel plant in Ajit Singh Nagar, said the Commissioner Venkatesh.