Make Bengaluru plastic-free by 2030, says CM Siddaramaiah

BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah revealed that Bengaluru manufactures 900 tonnes of plastic daily, and called on all stakeholders and the public to make Bengaluru plastic-free by 2030. People should become aware of the ill-effects of plastic, or it will not be possible to turn Bengaluru into a plastic-free city. The city can become plastic-free by 2030 only by creating awareness about the environment and joining hands with the government, he stated. He made the remarks after inaugurating the golden jubilee celebrations of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board at Palace Grounds on Wednesday. He appealed to Bengalureans to segregate dry and wet waste, before handing it over to the municipality. CM announced a Rs 1 crore endowment fund in memory of green activist Salumarada Thimmakka, and said an environment-related programme should be held and five environmentalists honoured in Thimmakkas memory. Forest, Environment and Ecology Minister B Eshwar Khandre said an attempt should be made to make at least 50 wards of Bengaluru plastic-free this year. KSPCB Chairman PM Narendraswamy said in most districts, sewage treatment plants are not functional, and sewage is entering water bodies. He appealed to the CM to instruct all district administrations and local bodies to prevent this. The board has decided to increase the number of river water measurement stations to prevent water pollution. In Dakshina Kannada district, roads are constructed from waste. I appeal for recycling of waste in all districts, said the chairman. Later, the CM, DCM DK Shivakumar and Khandre felicitated 10 persons with the Indira Priyadarshini Environmental Award for their work in pollution control.