West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee urges people to curb plastic pollution on World Environment Day

Kolkata: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday urged people to curb plastic pollution on the occasion of World Environment Day. “Today is World Environment Day. Following this year’s theme, let us pledge to beat plastic pollution. Let us pledge to make every day #WorldEnvironmentDay,” the chief minister tweeted on Tuesday morning. [caption id=“attachment_4406609” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image. PTI.[/caption] India is the global host of 2018 World Environment Day celebrations. With “Beat Plastic Pollution” as the theme for this year’s edition, countries would be coming together to combat this particular environment concern. The West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) on Tuesday organised a programme at its headquarters on this occasion. Speaking at the programme, Kalyan Rudra, the chairman of WBPCB said people need to take “constructive steps” to end the menace of plastic pollution. “We must refrain from burning plastic openly. Also, people should stop littering plastic waste on roads, water bodies and sea beaches. Whenever you use plastic, carry bags, ensure that the thickness is more than 50 microns,” he said. Rudra also advocated segregation of plastic waste at source. “Local authorities, be it urban or rural, should provide bins for dropping recyclable waste,” he said, adding that pollution board was coordinating with several civic bodies in south Bengal on this issue. As per the 2015 Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) report, 3670 tonnes of solid waste was generated in Kolkata every day, of which 425.72 tonnes happened to be plastic waste, Rudra told reporters. “We must stop using disposable plastic bags (below 50 microns),” he said. At Alliance Francaise du Bengale, a paper-bag making workshop was arranged on Tuesday morning for people of different age groups. “The workshop was aimed at making people aware of eco-friendly products,” a spokesman at the centre said.