Visakhapatnam: Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) is striving hard to protect the environment and make Visakhapatnam the first plastic-free city in the country, said GVMC Commissioner Dr P. Sampath Kumar. He added that public cooperation is essential for the success of such initiatives, and urged everyone to support the city’s development.
The efforts put in by social media influencers who actively supported and contributed to the ban on single-use plastic items in Visakhapatnam is commendable, he said and described their social responsibility as inspiring and a model for everyone.
The commissioner participated in “Plastic-Free Vizag” event on Sunday, which was jointly organised by GVMC, Vizag social media influencers, and Millennium Software Solutions, at RK Beach area.
Speaking on this occasion, Sampath Kumar said that the ban on single-use plastics in Visakhapatnam came into effect on January 1. “In preparation for this, the GVMC raised awareness among the public for 45 days prior to the ban, urging them to replace single-use plastic items with alternatives. Not all plastic items are banned in the city, but only those that cannot be recycled, specifically plastics less than 120 microns in thickness, are prohibited. Single-use plastics have become an inseparable part of everyday life, and the microplastics we are unaware of are entering our bodies, potentially causing cancer. Furthermore, these plastics are harming the environment by blocking drains, gutters, and streets, which is creating financial burden for GVMC. People in Visakhapatnam use around 15 tonnes of single-use plastic daily,” said Sampath Kumar.
“GVMC will promote environmentally friendly alternatives to plastic by raising awareness among manufacturers and suppliers. Penalties and legal actions will be taken against those involved in the production, sale, and use of single-use plastics,” he added.
The social media influencers, as part of their social responsibility, created a 100-foot cloth banner reading “Let’s make plastic-free Vizag” and organised a walkathon from the Matsya Darshini area near RK Beach to the GVMC sports complex.
During the event, the influencers, actress Pavani from Pushpa-2, and GVMC officials collected waste from the beach. The commissioner congratulated all participants who contributed to the event’s success.
Manufacturers of ‘Crunchy Biscuit Cups’ from Rajamahendravaram, who began producing teacups made from millet flour instead of the traditional plastic-coated cups, attended the event. They served tea in these cups at the event, promoting the slogan “Drink tea—Eat the cup.” Commissioner Sampath Kumar, along with GVMC officials, drank tea from these eco-friendly cups, setting an example. The manufacturers, Ponnada Manikumar and Alamuri Kezia, were praised for their social awareness.
Actress Pavani, who attended the event, expressed her gratitude to the GVMC for taking the initiative to ban single-use plastics in the city. She urged the people of Visakhapatnam to cooperate with GVMC in protecting both their health and the environment.
GVMC additional commissioner R Somannarayana, chief medical officer Dr E N V Naresh Kumar, and other officials discussed the detrimental effects of single-use plastic and the benefits of using alternatives.
