Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Jun 5: Marking World Environment Day on Thursday, Maharashtra’s Environment and Climate Change Minister Pankaja Munde launched a major campaign at Girgaon Chowpatty to eliminate single-use plastic.

Highlighting the urgency of protecting "Mother Earth," Minister Munde called on citizens to avoid single-use plastic altogether. “We must say no to single-use plastic and completely stop its usage,” she said. “Efforts are underway to find ways to reuse such plastic, with several trusts getting involved in this initiative.”

The event, held at the popular Mumbai beach, was a joint effort by the state’s Environment and Climate Change Department, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). MPCB Chairman Siddhesh Kadam, Member Secretary Dr. Avinash Dhakne, college students, BMC sanitation workers, and local residents joined in.

Minister Munde and MPCB Chairman Kadam inspected the cleanliness of the Chowpatty, taking stock of sanitation efforts before rolling up their sleeves to participate in a beach clean-up alongside sanitation workers.

Since May 22, the state’s Environment Department and MPCB have been running a campaign to make Maharashtra free of single-use plastic. Public awareness drives are underway in religious places, hospitals, pharmacies, and other public spaces, the Minister added.

The day also saw a strong focus on raising awareness about planting and preserving trees, saving water, promoting eco-friendly alternatives like solar energy and cycling, and encouraging the use of cloth bags instead of plastic.

Street plays by various institutions underscored the importance of the plastic ban. Students from Joshi-Bedekar College and members of the Muktai Solid Waste Management Service Institute joined in, raising slogans and picking up trash at the Chowpatty to drive the message home.