New Delhi: Indian Railways has said that it will install plastic bottle crushers at all A1 and A category stations before 2 October.
Visibility of separate waste bins will be increased on all A1 and A category Railway Stations. These would bear SHS logo. Railway ticketing arm IRCTC will implement return of plastic drinking bottles as part of Extended Producer Responsibility. Plastic Bottle crushing machines will be provided expeditiously at all other Railway Stations.
Secretary, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Parameswaran Iyer had met Chairman, Railway Board V K Yadav regarding the purpose and discussed ways that the Railways could work for plastic waste collection, as properties of Indian Railways has the largest interface with the people across the country.
Meanwhile, Ministry of Railways is observing ‘Swachhta-Hi-Seva Pakhwada’ across its entire network from 11 September to 2 October.
Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry Piyush Goyal has instructed the Railway Administration give special focus on cleanliness at Railway Stations and in trains throughout the ‘Pakhwada’.
Earlier Goyal had instructed for 10 days cleanliness drive for trains and stations starting 2nd September, 2019. He directed Zonal Railways to upload selected photographs on E-Drishti, Minister’s dashboard for monitoring purposes.
Indian Railways will take a slew of measures for plastic waste management that include wide publicity will be given to ban on single use plastic; banners/posters/messages to this effect to be displayed at prominent places.
Railways will also make extensive use of Information Education and Communication measures to create awareness among stakeholders. Audio messages/Banners shall also be displayed.
Zonal Railways will take action on implementation of Board’s instructions and give feedback about the measures adopted. Railways said that work on development of 150 nurseries on Railway properties across the country to be completed by 2 October.