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Jamia Millia, Ignou ban plastic items on campus
New Delhi
New Delhi
Universities in Delhi have joined the nationwide campaign against single-use plastic by banning plastic articles on campus and raising awareness on the ill-effects of the material on environment.
Jamia Millia Islamia has banned all single-use plastic items in all hostels, canteens, shops, coffee houses and the Jamia Community Centre. Cutlery and other decorative items made from styrofoam have also been banned.
“We have been trying to make our campus plastic-free for a long time. We will not use plastic which cannot be reused,” vice-chancellor Najma Akhtar said on Wednesday. University officials also said there will be routine checking and violators will be slapped with a fine of ₹500 for each offence.
While PET bottles having capacity of less than 200 ml liquid have been banned, those with liquid capacity of 200 ml and above are allowed. Other banned items include mineral water pouches made of plastic, plastic bags, disposable dishes and bowls for packaging food, and any compostable plastic bags except for plant nurseries, horticulture, agriculture and handling of solid waste.
While the move was announced last week, many in the university are still unaware of the order. On Wednesday too, the few students who were present on campus could be seen with plastic water bottles and bags.
Media coordinator Ahmad Azeem said the university had instructed canteens to use water dispensers with steel glasses instead of plastic ones. “If the university has made a rule, we will follow it,” said Aqilur Rahman, who has been running a canteen in the campus for over a decade. While Rahman serves food on paper plates, he uses plastic cutlery, water bottles, and plastic packaging material. “We will find alternatives to these now. The cost in procuring these will definitely bring up my expenses,” he said.
The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with South Delhi Municipal Corporation to keep plastic items such as polythene bags, thermocol plates, cups, plastic spoons and straws away from the campus. Vice-chancellor Nageshwar Rao urged IGNOU employees to eliminate single-use plastic and use cloth and jute bags instead.
Jawaharlal Nehru University held a week-long awareness programme on water conservation and ill-effects of single-use plastic. “We have given strict instructions against using low-density plastic. Besides, students also cleared a wetland within premises and picked up plastic items from campus,” said Pawan K Joshi, director, JNU Swachh programme.
Bipin Kumar, Tiwari, coordinator of Delhi University’s Swachhta Abhiyan Samiti, said, “We have been coordinating with various agencies on cleanliness on DU campus and intend to undertake no single-use plastic mission.”
Not just universities, last month Delhi government’s education department had also asked its schools to sensitise students and staff members on avoiding single-use plastic items inside and outside school premises.
