College students, volunteers, environmental activists and Corporation sanitary workers came together to take up a cleaning drive aimed at making wards 1 to 6 in Srirangam and Thiruvanaikovil areas plastic-litter free under a ‘Masilla Tiruchi' (Clean Tiruchi) campaign organised under the auspices by the Environmental Protection Forum here on Friday.
The campaign was taken up by the Forum in association with Srimad Andavan Arts and Science College and the Tiruchi Corporation to create a plastic-free model zone in the city.
About 600 persons, including students from Srimad Andavan Arts and Science College, St.Joseph's College, Urumu Dhanalakshmi College, and the Department of Women's Studies of the Bharathidasan University, volunteers and Corporation sanitary workers, fanned out to various areas in the island town wedged between the Cauvery and Coleroon rivers.
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Armed with gloves and bags, the volunteers split into different groups removed plastic wastes at around 70 places across the six wards from 8.30 a.m. to noon. The volunteers also distributed pamphlets against the use of non degradable plastics door-to-door during the campaign. About 20 bags of plastic wastes were collected and handed over to the Corporation at the end of the campaign, according to the organisers.
At a brief ceremony, the campaign was inaugurated by Fr.L.Anthuvan, director, Kalai Kaviri College of Fine Arts, at Mambazhasalai.
Later in the day, certificates were distributed to the volunteers who participated in the campaign at a World Ozone Day celebration organised at the Srimad Andavan Arts and Science College as part of the campaign.
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M.Ravichandran, Head, Department of Environment, Bharathidasan University, distributed the certificates in the presence of S.Martin, advocate and M.Pitchaimani, vice principal, Srimad Andavan College.
A.Gregory, organiser and K.Chandrasekaran, coordinator, Environmental Protection Forum, were also present on the occasion.