Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed to ban single-use plastics in his monthly radio address Man ki Baat on Sunday. He pitched for launching a new mass movement against single-use plastic from October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. “When we celebrate Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th anniversary, we will not only dedicate him an open-defecation free India but also be kick-starting a mass movement for making India plastic-free.
I appeal to all to celebrate this year’s Gandhi Jayanti by freeing Mother India of plastic,” he said. On the theme of sustainability, Modi, in his Independence Day speech, had urged people to avoid using plastic bags and rid themselves of the habit of using single-use bags by 2 October. He had also urged startups, technicians and entrepreneurs to look at innovative ways to recycle plastic. This time our emphasis must be on plastic. On 15th August, I had urged you from the Red Fort... the way one hundred and 25 crore countrymen ran a campaign for cleanliness with utmost enthusiasm and energy, and toiled tirelessly towards freedom from open defecation; in a similar manner, we have to join hands in curbing single-use plastic,” he added.
The Prime Minister also stressed upon the need to maintain cleanliness at public places as a part of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
