As part of its social awareness programme, staff and students of Annai Violet College of Arts and Science, Menambedu, took anti-plastic campaign to the streets of Ambattur, sensitising people about its ill effects. The group issued pamphlets detailing about its hazards. They also collected plastic bottles for creating the longest chin of plastic bottles to enter the Guinness Book of World Records.
A chain was created by 60 members using 18,843 bottles within 4 hours measuring 5.14 km. The team went on to explain why plastic causes contamination and is non-ecological. They urged residents to avoid using plastic bottles. Banners with slogans and pictures, pamphlets addressing the need to act with social and moral responsibility were displayed around the area. The students were guided by the college founder and chairman, N. R. Dhanapalan.
P. Jothimani, Judicial Member, National Green Tribunal, New Delhi; S. R. Jeyadurai, Tuticorin Member of Parliament; M. Ezra Sargunam, founder, Evangelical Church of India; Avvai Natarajan, former vice-chancellor, Tamil University, Thanjavur; V. G. Santhosam, chairman, VGP Group Companies’ M. B. Nirmal, founder, Exnora International; S. Venkatraman, Lions district governor, 324-A5; K. S. Kannan, Lions first vice-district governor, 324-A5; and D. Saivenugopal, Lions second vice-district governor, participated.
The team along with the dignitaries took an oath to avoid the use of plastics. The used plastic bottles were handed over to the recycling unit.
According to the organisers of the event, Bayer Material Science, in China, wanted to create awareness on Anti-plastic among their community and on November19, 2011 they made a plastic chain by using 6,895 bottles. This was officially accepted by the Guinness Book of World Records. In 2013, National Youth Envirolympics Challenge (NYEC, Singapore) attempted the record on May 24 using 9,060 bottles measuring 2.28 kms, which is still to be officially accepted.
