The Hindu 28.08.2014
Councillors to show the way by using cloth bags
Elected representatives of the 16 town panchayats in
Vellore district are set to show the way to the public on avoiding use
of polythene bags.
In a step towards reducing plastic
use, particularly plastic bags less than 40 microns, the Department of
Town Panchayats has given cloth bags to chairpersons, vice chairpersons
and councillors of town panchayats in the district.
The
ill effects of using plastic have been printed on the cloth bags such
as it reduces groundwater levels, causes death when cattle consume
plastic bags and burning of plastic causes 52 kinds diseases.
At
a meeting held on Wednesday, S.M. Malayaman Thirumudikari, assistant
director of Town Panchayats, Vellore, said they were taking several
steps to avoid use of plastic bags.
“First, the elected representatives should stop using plastic bags. If we follow this, then others will follow suit,” he said.
He asked the representatives to start the initiative at their homes and then spread the message among the public.
“We can reduce plastic use by conducting checks but this needs behavioural change in the people,” he noted.
While
garbage segregation and collection was almost 100 per cent from
commercial establishments, the problem persisted at the door-to-door
level.
“People do not segregate garbage at their
homes. Though workers collect the garbage from houses, people tend to
dump remaining garbage on the roads later. This dirties the streets. The
elected representatives should tell the people in their town panchayats
to dispose garbage properly,” he added.
Doing well
Sholinghur, Panapakkam and Alangayam town panchayats were doing well in solid waste management, he said, adding,
“Another
six town panchayats will be covered in the solid waste management
project during 2014-15. We will work to bring all the town panchayats
under the project.”
Collector R. Nanthagopal, who
handed over the bags to the representatives, said that town panchayats
were doing well in plastic management.
“However,
there are several municipalities in Vellore and they should also
concentrate more on municipal solid waste management,” he said.
He pointed out to how plastic bags were a huge problem to both cities and villages.
