MAPUSA
Focusing on the ill-effects of plastic, the Aldona special gram sabha on Sunday adopted ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’ as the theme of the year in the village.
To commemorate the world environment day, Aldona panchayat organized talks and a host of functions to create awareness on dangers of use of plastic.
Delivering a talk on bad effects of plastic on health, Dr Aditya Bharve of Aldona Primary Health Centre said that plastic was a silent killer that affected animals as much as humans.
“A big number of animals choke to death on consumption of plastics. We need to stop using plastic and adopt alternative ways to beat plastic pollution to save the planet,” Dr Bharve said.
“Use of plastic can also lead to serious illnesses such as cancer and asthma,” he added. According to Bharve there was a spurt in use of plastic from 1940 onwards, as a result plastic can be seen strewn all along roads and rivers from where it finds its way into the sea.
“Fumes emanating from burnt plastic also cause ill effect on humans,” he said.
He said use of plastic can be reduced only by switching to an alternative form of packaging and using substitutes.
“This can be achieved only if each one of us brings a change in our behaviour and decides to shun plastic,” he said.
Giving a detailed presentation on environment, Sushant Figueredo explained to the gram sabha members about the use of plastic and its effects and how plastic can be substituted.
At the end of the meeting handmade cloth bags were distributed among the people that had attended the gram sabha. On the occasion, the panchayat had also organized a poster and rangoli competition on the theme ‘beat plastic pollution’.
The winners were awarded prizes at the hands of Nelson Figueredo, Director of Agriculture and other dignitaries.
The Sarpanch, Dipak Naik along with other panch members, also distributed medicinal plants at the panchayat office.
