Sir,
This has reference to the writeups’ Fighting Plastic Pollution’and ‘Plastic has to go’published in Daily Excelsior on the eve of World Environment Day (June 5, 2018).There is no doubt that World Environment Day has assumed greater importance over the past few years as more and more people are getting sensitized about the need to keep our environment healthy and pollution free.This year’s theme’Beat Plastic Pollution’is is relevent and rational when plastic is proving to be a major pollutant in the environment.The fact that upto 500 trillion plastic bags are being used every year, one million plastic bottles are bought every minute and 100, 000 marine animals get killed every year due to plastics shows how dangerous plastic is for the environment.
The disposal of plastic is a major problem as it is non biodegradable and if burnt, it produces poisonous gases.This day calls upon one and all to join hands and say ‘good bye’ to the plastics which have only one time use and thus,make this planet plastic free.There is an urgent need for undertaking research to find ecofriendly alternatives to plastics.The Government ought to implement the orders related to sale and use of polythene carry bags, plastic sheets etc strictly.It must be made mandatory for all educational institutions, Government/semi Government offices, industrial houses to ensure that their premises are polythene free.Environment clubs at village, tehsil, District and State level should be set up to aware the people about the harmful effects of plastics and other pollutants.
Those engaged in maufacturing alternatives to plastics need to be given incentives to boost and promote biodegradable materials which are ecofriendly.Only then, our environment can be freed from the plastic pollution.At the same time, it is time to introspect as to how much damage has been made to environment by destroying and degrading forests, wetlands, lakes, rivers, streams, pastures, sanctuaries, national parks etc and take measures to restore the ecological balance.’Go to Nature’ ought to be our slogan as to quote William Wordsworth ‘Nature did never betray the heart that loved her’. To make this planet a better and healthier place to live in, everybody has to contribute.
Ashok Sharma,
Housing Colony,
Udhampur.
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