New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) Chairman, Dharmendra, on Saturday launched a series of programme to celebrate 75 years of Indian Independence in the form of ‘Azaadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ on theme ‘Swachhata’ by starting a Plog-Run cleanliness drive to make the inside and surrounding areas of Nehru Park, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi plastic-litter free zone.
On the occasion, he was joined by NDMC Secretary, Dr. BM Mishra, senior officers of the Public Health Department including Dr Ramesh Kumar, Dr. Shakuntala Srivastava and Dr. Gunjan Sahai and Safai Sewak along with several morning walkers, volunteers from NGOs like WILGA participated in the cleanliness drive.
“Plastic litter such as gutka packets and packaged foods wrappers are causing extreme harm to the environment as these can’t be recycled and not even picked by ragpickers,” the Chairman said as he stressed on behavioral changes among people to encourage them to throw such wastes in the bins. Dr Jagdish Kaur, WILGA President felt that as Delhi’s drains are heavily clogged with empty gutkha/pan masala packets and food packet wrappers, the city faces huge waterlogging and traffic jams problems every time there is rain.
The NDMC has also organized an exhibition -“Waste to Art” – displaying products made by waste by different NGOs at “Sirjan Art Corner” at the Park to create awareness about “say no to – single use plastic” amongst the visitors.