Students Collect 844 Kilograms of Single-Use Plastic in a Day Through Unique Initiative

Raipur : In a remarkable step towards building a plastic-free society, a special initiative was carried out under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) in the Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur district of Chhattisgarh.

With the support of the Education Department and under the guidance of the District Collector and CEO of the Zila Panchayat, a one-day campaign was launched across all Gram Panchayats in the district. Approximately 15,000 students from various schools actively participated in this initiative, collecting single-use plastic waste from their homes on a large scale.

This innovative campaign saw enthusiastic participation not only from students but also from their parents, who supported their children in contributing to environmental protection. The children gathered unusable plastic items such as bottles, polythene bags, and other single-use plastic waste from their homes and brought them to their respective schools. After the collection, cleanliness workshops were organized at the school level.

During these sessions, teachers educated students about the harmful effects of plastic, including its contribution to environmental pollution and serious health conditions like cancer. They also promoted the use of eco-friendly alternatives such as cloth bags and traditional leaf plates.

This student-led effort set a new record in the state, marking the first time such a massive quantity—844 kilograms of single-use plastic—was collected in a single day by schoolchildren. The collected plastic waste was handed over to Swachhagrahis (sanitation volunteers), and students appealed to the public to adopt proper plastic waste management and stop the use of single-use plastic altogether.

This initiative is not only a significant step toward environmental sustainability but also highlights the powerful role of students in raising public awareness and promoting responsible citizenship.