India: Shipping Ministry Encourages Non-Usage Of Single-Use Plastics

The Swachhta Pakhwada was observed by the Ministry of Shipping from 16th to 30th September 2019 which was followed by the launch of ‘Swachhta Hi Sewa’ campaign by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi from 11th September 2019 in order to celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

During the Swachhta Pakhwada 2019 saplings were planted by the Union Minister of State for Shipping, Shri. Mansukh Mandaviya, in Cochin Port Trust, Mormugao Port Trust, and Paradip Port Trust.

All the Major Ports and organizations of the Ministry of Shipping participated in the campaign enthusiastically. Some activities were also to make this campaign a grand success.

Cleaning of office/ residential premises, swachhta awareness campaigns, cleanliness drives, and Shramdaan were some of the campaigns that were run by the major ports and organizations.

During the period of the event activities like pledge ceremonies, street plays and walkathons were also organized. Ports and Organisations also organized competitions like elocution, drawing, slogan and wall painting. In order to spread the message about Swachhta banners were displayed, posters with swachhta slogans and pamphlets were distributed to the local public.

Tree plantation, beautification drives, and solid & electronic waste management were also undertaken at all Ports and other Organizations.

Shri. Mansukh Mandaviya, MoS (I/C) Shipping administering Swachhta Pledge to the Cochin Port officers, employees, students and teachers of Kendriya Vidyalaya Port Trust.(20.09.2019)

The fortnight-long campaign also saw the advent of new ideas such as:

• Pledge Ceremony (Swachhta Shapath) paperless for the first time in Shipping Corporation of India Ltd.
• Zero water leakage drive-by Shipping Corporation of India Ltd.
• Distribution of cloth bags/eco-friendly cotton bags/ jute bags to employees, shopkeepers and public by Mormugao Port Trust, Shipping Corporation of India Ltd., Kamarajar Port Limited, Paradip Port Trust and V.O. Chidambaranar Port Trust and Haldia Dock Complex.
• Rainwater harvesting projects and water recycling schemes to prevent wastage of water initiated by Kolkata Port Trust.
• Water ATMs being set up by Kolkata Port Trust.
• New public toilet complexes were built as a part of the Swachhta campaign by port and stakeholders by Kolkata Port Trust.
• Extensive beach cleaning drives by V.O. Chidambaranar Port Trust.
• Visakhapatnam Port Trust inaugurated 25 KLD Sewage Treatment plant at Port Hospital.
• Cochin Port Trust organized a cycle rally with the motto “Burn Carbohydrates, not Hydrocarbon”.
• Cochin Port Trust collected 200 kg of plastics which will be utilized for road tarring within the port area.
• Plogging activity to collect plastic waste from various roads in the Port area was also conducted on 2nd October 2019 by Cochin Port Trust.
• Cochin Shipyard Limited, Dredging Corporation of India Ltd. and Chennai Port Trust organized awareness class on plastic waste management and effective ban on Single USE Plastic (SUP) for school children.
• Directorate of Lighthouses and Lightships distributed sanitary pads in Rajagiya Kanya College, Noida and V.O. Chidambaranar Port Trust distributed the sanitary pads to the colony and nearby community
• Deendayal Port Trust has signed an MoU recently at the cost of about 3 crores, with State Forest Department, Gujarat to develop greenbelt with the survival condition of 80% plants at suitable sites of Deendayal Port Trust and its surrounding areas covering 31.942 hectares.
• Deendayal Port Trust organized a short play on the topic “Kachro –Ke-Khiladi” which was staged by Navjyoti Charitable Trust in order to spread awareness to not to use Single-Use Plastic and maintain cleanliness.
• Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust organized an awareness program for women’s health.
• Kamarajar Port Trust planted around 500 saplings. Mumbai Port Trust, Mormugao Port Trust, and Indian Maritime University also organized a massive tree plantation drive.
• Kamarajar Port Trust installed an RO water plant in the kitchen of the School to provide safe drinking water to the school children.
• Kamarajar Port Trust organized a “Medical camp” for employees, Port users, BOT operators, stakeholders & Contractors Workers.
• New Mangalore Port Trust and Haldia Dock complex organized a walkathon to spread the message of the Swachhta Mission.

Non-usage of single-use plastics was also the theme of Swachhta Hi Sewa’s campaign. In this Plastic waste collection was done at various places. Emphasis was given to maximizing the non-usage of Plastic and trying to make the organizations and ports plastic-free.

Reference: pib.nic.in