Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma Says No To Plastics, Aims To Set An Example For Officials

Mumbai: At a time when India is battling with growing plastic menace it is very essential for the government to go beyond merely introducing laws and set the right examples for people to follow. Keeping in mind this very ideology, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has adopted a top-down approach to spread awareness against plastic. During an event, he said that he has given up the usage of plastic items from both, his personal and professional life.

To start with, the chief minister has urged everyone to start their individual missions against plastic by refusing if not reusing,

We can begin by simply saying no to the plastic bottles and carry aluminium or steel bottles, chief minister Sangma told IANS in the NITI Aayog’s Governing Council meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He further said the plastic consumption is a rising threat to in his state and it will take time before people completely shun plastics out of their lives. The chief minister also hoped that following his own resolve, the entire secretariat and other state offices will follow.

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Emphasising on the need to scientifically treat the plastic waste generated, the chief minister said that the state suffers from lack of mechanism to collect and dispose of plastic especially from rural and remote areas. To combat the situation, the state government will come out with several recycling measures in the near future he said.

If you look at most of our towns or cities, you will see that a lot of streams are choked up because of the plastic which is there. It is a matter of extreme concern for us.

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In the rural areas there is no mechanism to actually check the use of low grade plastic, that’s a big concern… we are realising the challenges and also taking steps to assure that the issues are take care of, the chief minister said.

He asserted that it is very important to keep the momentum against plastic moving and not confining it to the Environment Day alone.

Observing the theme of ‘beating plastic pollution’ on World Environment Day, the chief minister had walked from his home to office along with school students to draw people’s attention towards the problem of plastic waste disposal.

Chief Minister Sangma isn’t the first and the only chief minister in India to have quit plastic. Last year, Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar had vowed not to use plastic items. From refusing to take flowers wrapped in plastic foil to discouraging plastic cups/bottles in the functions Chief Minister Parrikar attends, he adopted several changes in his personal and professional life. Recently, Telangana Urban Development Minister KT Rama Rao also stopped using plastic bottles in his office and switched to using steel tumblers.

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