The Hindu 30.12.2009
Drive against plastic use
Special Correspondent
Students take out a rally carrying placards and banners
GUNTUR: School students took out a massive rally through the thoroughfares of the town on Tuesday to drive home the concept of doing away with plastics totally in a phased manner beginning with shunning plastic bags.
In the initiative taken by Forum For Better Bapatla, a non-governmental organisation working for improving the civic life of the town, students from various schools participated in the rally carrying placards and banners requesting the citizens to shun plastic. Students requested people to take a New Year resolution to make Bapatla ‘plastic-free’ with effective participation in the movement from the New Year’s Day.
The Bapatla municipal authorities decided to implement the council resolution passed in September last banning the use of all types of plastic goods in the town.
According to the resolution, the plastic goods sellers will be punished with a monetary penalty of Rs. 2,500 to Rs. 5,000 if they did not meet the norms for carry bags or other material. The buyers or users of plastic goods will face a fine of Rs. 250 to Rs. 500 from January 1.
Municipal Chairman K. Mariyadas, and Municipal Commissioner P. Niranjan Reddy flagged off the rally. Members of the Forum For Better Bapatla, Senior Citizens’ Welfare Association, Bhavapuri Chitra Kala Academy and Search participated in the rally along with students from Municipal High School, Saraswathi Memorial High School, Little Angles, Little Flowers, Sathyavani Convent, Bhavapuri Tutorials and Mathrusri Convent.
