As part of its drive against use of plastic, the East Coast Railways has installed 16 plastic bottle crushing machines at different stations under its jurisdiction, an official said on Wednesday.
The ECoR set up this facility ahead of banning the single-use plastic at railway stations and trains from Gandhi Jayanti on October 2, the official said.
While 6 Plastic Bottle Crushing Machines (PBCM) has been installed at Visakhapatnam railway station, Bhubaneswar station got 2 such machines, 2 at Puri Railway Station, one at Sambalpur Railway Station, 4 at Cuttack Railway Station and 1 at Khurda Road Railway Station.
Other important stations have also been provided with PBCMs so that, single-use plastic bottles can be recycled.
The ECoR has also proposed to install Plastic Bottle Crushing Machines at Puri, Khurda Road, Rayagada and one each at Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, Simhachalam, Araku, Jagadalpur, Balangir, Titilagarh and Kesinga stations.
The ECoR has also launched an awareness programme to inform train passengers and rail users on the use of PBCMs so that the premises of railway stations will be maintained clean.
General Manager of East Coast Railway Vidya Bhushan in an oath taking ceremony here on Wednesday administered oath to employees and officers requesting them not to use plastic in their day to day life and to make others aware of the impact on environment.