Shillong (Meghalaya): The Meghalaya State Planning Board on Monday launched an initiative to reduce the use of single-use plastic by people in the state.
The board's chairman Lambor Malngiang launched the 'beat plastic pollution with sla and pla' at Iew Shillong, a marketing hub.
He urged market users to make use of the Pla (cotton bag) and Sla (leaves) which we can use and reuse.
He said the effort once accepted by the people will help reduce usages of 5000 single-use plastic bags at Iew Shillong alone.
"Imagine such plastics that are coming out of traditional markets in the entire state. We urgently need to replace plastic with environmentally friendly materials," he said.
"These materials not only preserve our beautiful environment but can also generate income and employment, he added. All of us need to join our hands to fight this menace and preserve our beautiful environment. We must stop using plastic altogether. We can make these campaigns successful by saying NO TO PLASTIC," he said.
Local MLA Ampareen Lyngdoh welcomed the move and said that plastic is the object that poses one of the most dangerous threats to our environment.
Banning of plastic is, in almost all aspects, only advantageous. Plastic waste damages, kills, chokes, and is a hazard to all living things, she said.
The MLA also urged the government to install small incinerators in Iew Shillong and other major markets of the State to ensure that waste management can be done in a proper manner.
East Khasi Hills deputy commissioner Matsiewdor War Nongbri said the district administration is committed to combat the menace of plastic waste by initiating and collaborating in a number of cleanliness campaigns in the state.
