Dharmendra Pradhan appeals to citizens to reduce use of single-use plastic

Puri (Odisha) [India], July 1 : Soon after the Central government banned the single-use plastic, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday appealed to people to avoid using it during the Jagannath Rath Yatra urging the citizens to turn the move into a "mass movement".
The rituals for the Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath began in Odisha's Puri today. The participation of devotees in the Rath Yatra has been allowed this time after a gap of two years following the COVID pandemic.
Speaking to ANI, the Union Minister said, "The Central government has banned single-use plastic from today. We need an awareness campaign to turn this into a mass movement. I appeal to citizens to avoid using single-use plastic during the occasion of the Jagannath Rath Yatra."
"I appeal to youth to come and join this mass awareness campaign. It will be a great contribution to Lord Jagannath if we avoid using single plastic during this holy occasion," Pradhan said.
The ban on select single-use plastics by the Centre in order to reduce plastic wastage comes into effect from today.
Single-use plastics are typically items that are discarded after being used only once and does not go through the recycling process. They are a big contributor to plastic pollution.