Mahakumbh to be plastic-free ‘green’ event
Jute and cloth bags, leaf plates, and earthen cups to replace plastic; single-use plastics to remain fully banned during mela
The forthcoming mega religious fair of Mahakumbh-2025 will be an eco-friendly and plastic-free event.
In line with UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s vision, all single-use plastics will remain banned during the event, with environment-friendly alternatives like dona (leaf bowls), pattal (leaf plates), kulhars (clay or earthen cups), besides jute and cloth bags being promoted to ensure a sustainable celebration, inform officials.
To facilitate this initiative, special stalls offering jute and cloth bags, as well as dona, pattal, and kulhars, will be set up within the sprawling 4200-hectare fairgrounds, making it convenient for visitors to use sustainable products. The government has already issued tenders to support these preparations, marking a significant step towards a cleaner, greener Mahakumbh, officials said.
The Prayagraj Mela Authority has planned to set up stalls offering natural products as alternatives to plastic during Mahakumbh-2025. A tender has been issued to establish stalls selling donas (leaf bowls), pattals (leaf plates), kulhars (clay cups), and cloth/ jute bags.
These natural products will be available throughout the fair area. Additionally, shopkeepers have been instructed to use only natural products during the event. There will be a complete ban on single-use plastic items during Mahakumbh-2025, said Kumbh Mela Adhikari Vijay Kiran Anand.
To support the plastic-free initiative, the officials led by Prayagraj divisional commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant have divided the city into zones, assigning a nodal officer for each zone to ensure cleanliness and a plastic-free environment. Their progress will be reviewed weekly.
Polythene wholesalers have been directed to stop supplying plastic bags in the city, and a public awareness campaign is underway to reinforce the message. Posters and banners against plastic use will be displayed across Prayagraj as part of the Swachh Mahakumbh, Swachh Prayagraj initiative, officials said.
Furthermore, street performances will be held at various locations to spread awareness. The divisional commissioner, along with the district magistrate Ravindra Kumar Mandar, recently took the pledge of “Say No to Plastic” on the banks of Sangam, encouraging citizens to do the same.