Maharashtra’s Environment and Climate Change Minister Pankaja Munde led a major campaign to eradicate single-use plastic at Girgaon Chowpatty on World Environment Day, urging citizens to adopt sustainable alternatives. The initiative, jointly organized by the Department of Environment and Climate Change, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), reinforced the state’s commitment to environmental preservation.
Munde, accompanied by MPCB Chairman Siddhesh Kadam and Member Secretary Dr. Avinash Dhakne, inspected cleanliness efforts at the beach and actively participated in waste collection alongside sanitation workers. She emphasized that Maharashtra has been running a statewide anti-plastic campaign since May 22, aiming to make the state free from single-use plastic.
“We must say no to single-use plastic and completely stop its usage. Efforts are underway to find ways to reuse such plastic, and several trusts are actively involved in this initiative,” Munde stated.
Public awareness campaigns have been launched at religious sites, hospitals, and pharmacies, educating citizens on plastic waste reduction, tree planting, water conservation, solar energy adoption, and cycling. Volunteers from Muktai Solid Waste Management Service Institute, Joshi-Bedekar College, and other institutions staged street plays to highlight the dangers of plastic pollution, while students and civic workers raised slogans and cleaned up waste at the Chowpatty.
The Maharashtra government continues to push for environmental sustainability, integrating grassroots activism, policy enforcement, and public participation to combat plastic pollution. With growing momentum behind the campaign, officials remain optimistic that Maharashtra will achieve its goal of eliminating single-use plastic, setting a precedent for broader environmental action across India.
