With the tagline ‘Say no to single use plastic’, about 150 personnel from various units of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) in Kochi came together on Friday for a plogging drive – a combination of jogging and cleaning litter.
Parts of Mahatma Gandhi Road in Thevara and the old Venduruthy Bridge adjacent to the Southern Naval Command were cleaned up as part of the plogging drive.
CISF units from Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, Cochin Port Trust, Cochin Shipyard, Union Territory of Lakshadweep (UTL), and Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore Limited (FACT) took part in the event. The plogging drive was conducted in observance of Swachhta Pakhwada of the Swachh Bharat Mission, which extends till Sunday.
Though the old Venduruthy Bridge is presently prohibited for vehicles, of late it has become a favourite fishing spot for those interested in the sport and others trying to get a good catch from the Vembanad Lake. Without proper care, the bridge was lying decrepit, littered with waste and overgrown with plants. The cleaning drive, which was kickstarted around 6.30 am, cleared the whole area of litter.
“The Kerala government has planned to ban single use plastics in the state from coming January. It is in solidarity with the decision that we chose the tagline ‘Say no to single use plastic’,” AB Varghese, CISF employee and one of the coordinators of the event, told TNM.
The event, which was inaugurated by Kochi Corporation Mayor Soumini Jain, also mooted the idea of CISF collaboration with local bodies in supporting the use of biodegradable products instead of plastic items.
“Mayor Soumini Jain has asked us to be part of spreading the idea of using degradable bags instead of plastic covers. We have decided to hold further talks with the local bodies to work out a plan to help them distribute eco-friendly bags among people,” Varghese said.
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