21,308 Noida citizens collect 20 tonnes of waste plastic to be converted into energy

Over 21,000 citizens turned up for a plog run in Noida on Wednesday to mark Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary, collecting about 20 tonnes of plastic waste which would now be converted to energy, officials said.

Residents, including school children, market associations, colleges, hotels and business groups joined the plog run, an initiative integrating three central government plans -- Fit India, Clean India and Plastic-free India.

Noida Authority had identified 100 spots across the city for the activity which involves picking up litter while jogging.

"Around 21,308 citizens had registered for the plog run and they turned up today. About 20 tonnes of plastic waste was picked up by them which was collected at the Noida Stadium in Sector 21. The plastic waste thus collected will be handed over to the waste-to-energy plant in Delhi's Okhla, consumed by cement manufacturers and some thermal plants," Noida Authority CEO Ritu Maheshwari said.

Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry Secretary D S Mishra, Prime Minister's Office Director Mayur Maheshwari and other IAS officers were chief guest at the event.

Separately, cultural programme 'Rangotsav' was held to inaugurate theme paintings at various public places while hundreds of school children formed a human chain to raise awareness about waste management, officials said.

"Around 1,600 students from four different schools had come up with a human chain at the stadium with their message of 'Reduce, Reuse and Recyle' of plastic," Noida Authority General Manager Rajeev Tyagi said.

CEO Maheshwari stressed the need for segregation of wet and dry waste at homes by residents, as 35 new vehicles were flagged off for door to door garbage collection.

A plastic disposal machine, to be used to crush plastic bottles and collect plastic bags which are otherwise thrown away and pollute the environment, was inaugurated by the Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) at Sector 51 metro station.

"This effort will help in controlling the disposal of plastic waste. Separate slots have been provided in the machine to deposit bottles and bags separately. NMRC plans to install more such machines at other stations in the near future," the NMRC said.

The NMRC, which operates the Aqua Line Metro, also distributed jute bags in exchange for plastic bags and bottles with distribution counters set up at five metro stations -- Setor 51, Sector 76, Sector 142, Knowledge Park - II and Pari Chowk.

"Commuters and general public can deposit 20 plastic bags (of size 6X10) or 10 plastic bottles (of 1 litre capacity) at any of these metro stations and get 1 Jute Bag in return," it added.