Let’s mark Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary with plastic-free India: PM Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary, should mark the foundation laying of a new revolution against plastic and on October 2, the nation must dedicate to him an India that is Open Defecation Free, but also free from use of ‘single use plastic.’

Addressing the nation through his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme on All India Radio, Mr Modi announced that this year, the countrywide campaign ‘Swachchata Hi Sewa’ will start from September 11 which earlier used to start around a couple of weeks before October 2.

“During this period, all of us will move out of home, donating toil and sweat through ‘Shramdaan’, as a ‘Karyanjali’ to Mahatma Gandhi. Home or the neighbourhood lane, street circles, crossings, or drains, schools and colleges - we have to involve ourselves in a Mega campaign of ensuring cleanliness at public places. This time our emphasis must be on plastic,” the Prime Minister added.

Recalling his August 15 speech, he said, “as I had urged you from the Red Fort - the way one hundred and twenty five 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’. This campaign has enthused people from all strata of society.”

Appealing to all strata of society, he said Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary be celebrated as a special ‘Shramdaan’ Festival, where everyone must donate one’s own labour.

“I urge all municipalities, municipal corporations, District Administration, Gram Panchayats, Government and non-Governmental bodies, organizations; in fact each and every citizen to work towards ensuring adequate arrangement for collection and storage of plastic waste,” Mr Modi said.

Urging the corporate sector to come out with ways and means to proactively dispose of all accumulated plastic, Mr Modi said,”... it can be recycled; it can be transformed into fuel. This way we can accomplish our task of ensuring safe disposal of plastic waste before this Diwali. All that is needed is a resolve, adding that “And for inspiration, there’s no need to look hither- tither; what can be a greater inspiration than Gandhi?” (UNI)