The residents of Adyar, Chennai, are going all out to support the State government in implementing the plastic ban. Although some of them rue that it is difficult to find an alternative, many others feel that it is time to go back to using paper and cloth bags.
On 31 December, beach walkers and residents of Palavakkam took an anti-plastic pledge along with Corporation officials and conservancy staff.
Sources said, Assistant Engineer Rajesh who was the chief guest, encouraged residents to support the government on this project.
“The event that was organised by Palavakkam Beach Walkers Association, saw nearly 100 people attending the same,” sources added.
Speaking on this, Balaji Deenadayalan, an advocate and president of Kasthuribai Nagar Eighth Main Road Residents Welfare Association, said, “The residents here are visibly happy that plastic items are making an exit from the neighbourhood. People are keen to make the switch. Soon they will not have any more such covers and they will be using only cloth bags. I was pleasantly surprised when I went to Thiruvanmiyur market, and the shopkeeper told that he sells environment-friendly bags at a certain cost. This shows that the campaign has reached the grassroots.”
Meanwhile, a neighbourhood-based NGO, Namma Ooru Foundation, that had already been converting temples, schools and localities into greener and plastic-free zones, has began a campaign called ‘Namma Green Kadai’, through which, it encourages shopkeepers who are not providing non-biodegradable bags.
About the ban, founder of the organisation, P Natarajan said, “So far, the response has been excellent. The support for the government is overwhelming. People are enthusiastically taking pictures and videos of vendors giving paper pottalams. Our project ‘Namma Green Kadai’, is to help those shops complying with the ban. We are also giving signboards telling customers to bring their own cloth bags.”
Residents who are looking for alternatives for plastic covers, can reach Namma Ooru Foundation at 98409 87363 or visit https://nammaooru.org/.