The State government would provide adequate support for manufacture and promotion of alternatives to single-use plastic items, said Minister for Cooperation ‘Sellur’ K. Raju in Madurai.
Speaking at a campaign launched to promote use of alternatives to plastics, the Minister said that persons involved in the manufacture of single-use plastic items would be provided support to shift to manufacture of environment-friendly materials like cloth bags, and plates made of areca leaves.
Earlier, the Minister and Madurai Collector S. Natarajan distributed cloth bags to shopkeepers and passengers at the M.G.R. Bus Stand in Mattuthavani.
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Ramanathapuram
Anti-plastics awareness rally, ‘rath yatra’, pledges against use of throw away plastics and release of logo marked the launch of the campaign for ‘Plastic pollution-free Tamil Nadu’ in the two districts on Saturday.
In Ramanathapuram, Minister for Information Technology M. Manikandan, flagged off an awareness rally and ‘rath yatra’ to free the State from the menace of plastic pollution. Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao presided over the event at Aranmani.
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Hundreds of students, members of self-help groups, representatives of trade bodies and general public who attended the event, pledged to avoid use of plastics, especially single use plastic carry bags. The Minister administered the pledge.
In Sivaganga, Minister for Kadhi and Village Industries Board G. Baskaran released the logo and flagged off an awareness rally in the presence of Collector G. Latha and Superintendent of Police T. Jayachandran. Addressing the function, the Minister exhorted the public to avoid throw-away single use plastic carry bags.
Thoothukudi
Information and Publicity Minister ‘Kadambur’ C. Raju flagged off an initiative at Roche park in Thoothukudi. A human chain was also organised to create anti-plastic awareness.
A new helpline number for water supply-related issues, 9791566966, which is available on Whatsapp, was launched by the Corporation.
Collector Sandeep Nanduri said that nearly 2.5 lakh family cardholders out of 4.47 lakh in the district had been receiving their essentials from fair price shops using cloth bags.
Former Minister C.T. Chellapandian, Superintendent of Police Murali Rambha, Corporation Commissioner Alby John Varghese, Sub-Collector M.S. Prasanth and Assistant Collector (training) Dr. Anu were present.