Page 52 - Plastics News February 2021

in the news

Run and Burn marathon in Indore Plastic use in Gurugram can

calls for ban on plastics lead to fines up to Rs 25,000 from
February 27
n the early morning hours of Valentine’s Day, several
Ifitness events were organised including the 'Run and
Burn Marathon' at Nehru Stadium on Sunday. There were sing plastic from
several runs of 3 km, 5 km, 10 km, and 21 km. All the UFebruary 27 can invite
races began from Nehru Stadium under the Swacch Indore penalties of up to Rs
campaign. There were about 500 participants in all the 25,000 as the Municipal
runs. To support Indore in becoming the cleanest city in Corporation of Gurugram
India again, Run and Burn marathon was organised with (MCG) on recently issued a
a message to eradicate plastic from the city. "Indore notification for residents,
has been winning the title of being No. 1 in Swachhata shopkeepers, retailers
and vendors to stop the
for 4 consecutive years. Swachch Indore, Swachh India's practice. The MCG has
initiative to Say No to plastic,” said coordinator of the set a 15-day deadline for
marathon Nitin Chaturvedi. With an appeal not to use compliance of the order, following which officials will
plastic, the run was supported by various social activists start fining violators. n its order, the MCG has banned
in the city. "This year, participants from all cities of India the usage of various types of plastic, such as polythene,
joined the campaign to make their city plastic-free," plastic bags, bottled water with volume less than 200
Chaturvedi said. The run was flagged off by MP Shankar ml, any type of single-use plastic, plastic wraps used
Lalwani, Padma Shri Janak Palta, airport director Aryama for gift wrapping or in bouquets and plastic sheets
Sanyal and additional commissioner Shringar Srivastava. used for table cover, among other such items, under
the Haryana Non-Biodegradable Garbage (Control) Act,
1988. Depending on the quantity of plastic, fines can
range from Rs 500 to Rs 25,000. “Over the last four
months, the MCG has started several projects to curb
the use of plastic and polythene across the city. The
latest order has been issued keeping this continuous
effort in mind. We have now reached a stage where a
citywide implementation is needed to eradicate plastic
completely,” said Dheeraj Kumar, joint commissioner,
Swachh Bharat Mission, MCG. Most garbage collected
from across the city is non-biodegradable plastic waste,
which increases legacy waste and is one of the primary
reasons for choked drains across the city. Hence, a
citywide ban is being enforced, said Kumar. “In the past
four months, the MCG has generated enough awareness
Suresh Lahoti, a participant, said that the runners started
the marathon from Nehru Stadium and went back from regarding the banning of polythene and single-use
Rasoma square to Nehru Stadium via Shivaji Vatika, Geeta plastic so there has been ample time to make the shift.
We’ll start fining violators for using them from February
Bhawan, Palasia. There were two laps in 21 km and one lap 27. Regarding other types of plastic, we will be carrying
in 10 km run. Women and children mostly participated in out area wise awareness drives to ensure people are
5 kilometres and 3 kilometres and pledged to contribute aware that using them is a violation and after a short
to the effort to make the city healthy and clean. The race period of time, start issuing fines for it as well,” said
took place in real-time in Indore and virtual mode in other Kumar. Kumar said that the MCG will be constituting
cities of India. Taking cue, Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya several teams for carrying out awareness drives across
took a lead from its counterparts in the state by banning the city and subsequently, for enforcement measures.
single use plastic on its campuses.

Plastics News Februar y 2021 52