VMC aims to make city plastic-free

VIJAYAWADA: The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) is planning to give out appreciation certificates to traders, hoteliers and commercial establishments that have banned circulating single-use plastics in their premises in its objective to encourage the use of bags made out of jute and cloth.

Earlier in July, the VMC with Krishna district officials launched an anti-plastic campaign ‘MANA VIJAYAWADA’, to eliminate single-use plastics under its ambit. The campaign will be concluded on October 2.

On the same day, an award ceremony will be organised, in which VMC special officer and A Mohammad Imtiaz, district collector, along with V Prasanna Venkatesh, municipal commissioner, will give away the appreciation certificates.

The VMC commissioner said that the aim is to transform Vijayawada into a plastic-free city, for which anti-plastic campaign was launched and the people were being sensitised about ill-effects of plastic. Cloth bags are being circulated across the city by several traders to support the initiative. Further, the VMC sought support of educational institutions, NGOs and philanthropists to contribute as much as they can to replace polythene bags.