Jammu students spread awareness on plastic ban through walkathon

Jammu, May 29 (PTI) Hundreds of students carrying placards and banners participated in a walkathon here on Monday to raise awareness about the plastic ban in the region.

Councillors of different wards and students from over 40 educational institutions, including schools and colleges, joined the ‘Say No To Polythene’ walkathon, which commenced from the Parade Ground and concluded at Hari Singh Park here.

“We appeal to the people of Jammu to support the ban on polythene. Today’s programme aims to create awareness about the harmful effects of polythene. Students from schools and colleges are actively participating in this initiative,” Arun Khanna, chairman of the Health and Sanitation Committee at the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC), told PTI.

“We need to reduce the usage of polythene due to its harmful impact. Accidental ingestion of polythene by animals or birds can result in their death or cause severe injuries,” said Bhakti Dogra, a student who participated in the walkathon organised by the JMC.

Sanjam Sharma, another student, said, “Our goal is to achieve a complete ban on polythene across India and make Jammu a polythene-free state. We should opt for biodegradable bags instead of polythene.”

Last year, the Jammu and Kashmir administration imposed a ban on the production, stocking, distribution and sale of single-use plastic within the Union Territory, following which the JMC banned the use of plastic bags with a thickness of less than 120 microns within its jurisdiction.

The current focus of the authorities is to create awareness about the implications of using such plastic materials.

Mayor Rajinder Sharma hailed the participants of the walkathon and councillors for their efforts and “tireless work in spreading the message” of the plastic ban in their respective wards.

A K Mehta, Chief Secretary, JMC, said Jammu is one of the leading regions in terms of cleanliness and a plastic ban was key to maintaining hygiene in the region.