RWAs, traders in Delhi say they are doing their bit to reduce use of plastic
Hindustan TimesForty seven-year-old Ruby Makhija from South Delhi’s Navjiwan Vihar has taken it upon herself to weed out single-use plastic, at least, from her neighbourhood. “We have involved 78 children and each is assigned 4-5 households to explain the harm of plastic and urge them to use organic bags,” said Makhija, an eye specialist and general secretary of Navjiwan Vihar residents’ welfare association. BS Vohra, president, federation of East Delhi RWAs, said they, too, have started awareness drives in the area and plan to put placards and hoardings at shops and vegetable carts urging people to not ask for plastic bags and bring their own cloth bags. Meanwhile, traders said they have been trying not to use plastic bags, but it will take time to be implemented fully. Secondly, a ground inventorisation and impact of alternatives on environment has to be studied in terms of carbon footprint, which may be higher than plastic in case of using cloth, glass etc,” said Sambyal.