In a bid to support Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s call for reducing plastic use, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya announced on Wednesday that the state’s Public Works Department will now use plastic waste into the construction of roads.
The selected cities that will see the implementation of this decision are Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Lucknow, Meerut, and Agra. However, it is not the first time that plastic road will be devised in the state. Previously, the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) has already started constructing a road (from Gomti Nagar Police Station to Indian Institute of Management) using plastic waste under a pilot project.
Under Lucknow Development Authority's (LDA) pilot project, road is being constructed from Gomti Nagar Police Station to IIM, using plastic waste. Chief Engineer, LDA says "Mixing plastic waste increases roads' durability by 40-50%), they will be durable for a longer time" (15.06) pic.twitter.com/xRAzgONaw1
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) June 16, 2019
Earlier on Wednesday, addressing a rally in Mathura, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged people to phase out the plastic-use. He urged the people to stop using single-use plastic for the good health of the environment. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and BJP leader Hema Malini were also present at the event.
हमें ये कोशिश करनी है कि इस वर्ष 2 अक्तूबर तक अपने घरों को, अपने दफ्तरों को, अपने कार्यक्षेत्रों को सिंगल यूज प्लास्टिक से मुक्त करें: PM
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) September 11, 2019
From here, Prime Minister also inaugurated the National Animal Disease Control Program for eradicating foot and mouth diseases in livestock in Uttar Pradesh. The program aims to vaccinate over 500 million livestock & eradicate the foot and mouth disease by 2030. Livestock here includes cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats, and pigs. It will see 100 percent funding from the central government until 2024. Total monetary support of the launched program is Rs. 12,652-crore.
The Programme will also have a special focus on vaccinating 36 million female bovine calves annually in its fight against Brucellosis disease. Narendra Modi also expressed his grief over the matter of animals dying from plastics.
Sights that made me very sad.
At the Pashu Arogya Mela in Mathura, saw cows being operated and heaps of plastic being removed from their bodies.
This is deplorable and should inspire us to work towards reduced and careful plastic usage. pic.twitter.com/B5UjC5iKiA
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 11, 2019
It is also expected that the Narendra Modi government might announce the complete ban on single-use plastic products on the eve of October 2, 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
Before his speech on a day before, Prime Minister also joined women in segregating plastic from waste as part of the ‘Swachhta Hi Seva‘ program.
As we begin ‘Swachhata Hi Seva’ and pledge to reduce single use plastic, I sat down with those who segregate plastic waste.
I salute them for their hardwork and contribution towards fulfilling Bapu’s dream. pic.twitter.com/3ARJ2CenZH
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 11, 2019