Visakhapatnam civic body promotes use of cloth bags under Swachh Bharat Mission

As part of its efforts, a 'Cloth Bag Challenge' was launched by the civic body for school children in the city.

PM Modi, during his 'Mann Ki Baat' last Sunday, praised the efforts of the people of Visakhapatnam to promote cloth bags in place of plastic as a part of the 'Swachh Bharat Mission.'

The initial stages of GVMC's effort of creating awareness include taking the help of school students to paint cloth and jute bags with a competitive spirit. A large number of students from GVMC as well as other schools from the city are making cloth bags using waste clothes with the help of their parents.

The GVMC has asked the students to prepare cloth bags either by using unused clothes, bed sheets, pillow covers, T-shirts or by taking a readymade cloth bag on which they need to make embroidery works or paint environment-friendly quotations. Since the last week, a large number of children from many schools have been participating in the challenge and are posting their videos online, tagging them to the GVMC's social media accounts.

GVMC Commissioner Lakshmi Shah said, "The mission aims to create awareness among the public and traders. We have already sent notices to supermarkets and malls to refrain from using plastic bags. Alternatives such as cloth bags, jute bags, and bio-degradable bags are being promoted to replace single-use plastic."

With already 5000 students from 100 schools being involved in stitching and designing cloth bags incorporating old clothes and unused material, the Municipal Commissioner added that the corporation intends to reach out to a larger section of people and make the campaign more intense.

Nandini, 9th standard student in Nehru Municipal High School said "plastic is harmful to the environment, it releases toxic material into the atmosphere. It is not easily degradable, so it better if we replace plastic bags with cloths bags which is made by school students."

Pushpa Latha, Art and craft teacher in Nehru Municipal High School said the students are participating in this initiative with great zeal.

"They are re-suing the clothes and creating new things. They are not only giving messages to their family to use these bags but inspiring others to avoid plastic," Latha said.

"We need to start creating awareness over the plastic ban, its harmful side and its alternatives right from the school age. There are around 25,000 school students in the city. If we could involve children in such a fight against plastic, their parents may also get involved. So, these ideas may spread to around 25,000 families," said Lakshmi Shah. (ANI)