For the first time in Uttarakhand, a 50-kilometre-long human chain was formed to raise awareness on the ban on polythene in the State. More than one lakh citizens participated in the event. Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat exhorted the public to abstain from the use of polythene and single-use plastic.
The CM, along with the mayor Sunil Uniyal ‘Gama’ and others, made his way from Mianwala Chowk to Rajpur Road- Clock Tower to motivate the participants.
The CM and mayor urged the public to contribute towards making Dehradun clean, beautiful and polythene free. Public representatives, NGOs and self help groups, Government and administrative officials & employees, school and college students participated in the event with full vigour. The chain was made from Mianwala Chowk to Mussoorie Diversion, Clock Tower, GMS Road and Saharanpur Road to Clock Tower. The CM and mayor also participated in formation of the human chain.
In his message, the CM said that Dehradun has already taken a lead in the call by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make the country free of single-use plastic. He also expressed his gratitude to all the citizens for supporting the government in making Uttarakhand polyethylene free.
He said that the Government is getting cooperation of all the residents of the provisional state capital to make the city plastic-free, healthy, beautiful and green and that they have resolved to make Dehradun a polythene free green valley.
Gama said that various attempts are being made by the MCD to make Dehradun clean and green. Public awareness campaigns for the boycott of polythene are being conducted on a large scale. There has been a 70 per cent reduction in the use of polythene in Dehradun over the past three months. With the support of public, Dehradun will soon be completely free from single-use plastic, he said.