Page 14 - Plastics News April 2017

AIPMA AT WORK

AIPMA joins Versova Beach movement to pick up litter

In an effort to recycle the plastic and other waste washed
ashore, The All India Plastics Manufacturers' Association
has joined the movement to clean the Versova beach.
Accordingly from April 18, 2017 the association is
providing nine workers and a tractor to clean the beach
round the year.
The inauguration of
the same was held
on April 18, 2017 at
the versova beach. It
included Dr Bharati,
Lavekar MLA Versova, At Shah's request to "comply with their duty towards the
Mr Prashant Gaikwad, environment", AIPMA’s Environment
Asstt. Commissioner K Chairman Akhilesh Bhargava has volunteered at the
west Ward, Mr Ajay weekend clean-ups since last July. Bhargava say "We first
Kaul, Founder President CWC, Mr Yogiraj Dhabadkar, worked to understand the nature of the problem. We found
Chairman K West ward committee, Mrs Pratima Khopode the waste is washed in from four nallas along shanties
Corporator, Film maker Subash Ghai and Actress Pooja Bedi. elsewhere into the ocean, which, with the current, is then
The solid and plastic waste management rules notified dumped into Versova beach. The tractor and workers is
last year provide for extended producers responsibility just our first step. We are working with other recycling
(EPR). It means producers of plastic bear a responsibility companies to help recycle the waste. What we do not
to pick up the litter, a concept prevalent and practised want is for the plastic debris to go another landfill. We
in several developed nations. understand the science and will put in an ecosystem.''
The association had earlier worked with BMC for waste
Haren Sanghavi, President AIPMA is aiming at recycling segregation, Haren Sanghavi added, "Since the 2005 floods,
the plastic and other waste washed up along the 2.8 km the filteration system has stopped and waste just moves
stretch of the Mumbai beach. It joins a movement that into the ocean without check. Our endevour is to ensure
began with a lawyer and UN earth champ Afroz Shah, who, that waste is considered a source of income and gets good
in 2015, along with one neighbour started cleaning the value. Shah sees it as "a step towards complying with their
thick layer of litter with their bare hands. constitutional duty.''

The movement, which gathered a strong volunteer base
with non-Versova residents, students, actors, housewives,
businessmen, children, fishermen, professionals and
United Nations Patron Of the Ocean Lewis Pugh as well
as the UN Environment Programme chief Erik Solheim
chipping in, enters its 80th weekend. So far five million
kg of plastic and other waste has been removed.
The BMC has been providing two JCBs, one tractor and 18
civic workers for over a year now and assistant engineer,
solid waste, Chandan Shive drops in to supervise at times.
The UN Environment was the first to recognize the enormity
of the 'inspirational initiative,'' and last December awarded
Shah with a UN Champion of the Earth, an honor earlier
given to the Mexican President Felipe Calderon, former US
vice president Al Gore and National Geographic Society.

Plastics News | April 2017 14