GVMC makes fresh new year resolution to ban single-use plastic

GVMC renews ban on single-use plastic in Visakhapatnam, launching campaigns and awareness programs for a cleaner, greener city.

The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC), spurred by the success of the ‘Eco-Vizag’ campaign, has decided to renew its resolution of strictly implementing the ban on single-use plastic products in the city limits from January 1.

The corporation has been taking out campaigns in the forms of rallies, awareness walks and messages from celebrities for the past few weeks.

This is not the first time that the plastic ban was initiated in Vizag. In 2022, the civic body embarked on a ‘Cloth Bag Challenge’, asking people to use alternatives to plastic bags. The campaign became popular among students and the younger generation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi too appreciated the civic body’s initiative in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’.

Building on the success of that campaign, the GVMC launched an ‘Eco-Vizag’ initiative in June 2022, announcing a complete ban on single-use plastic. A series of campaigns, strict enforcement and awareness programmes by the former GVMC Commissioner G. Lakshmisha resulted in a visible change among the public as well as traders. The message of using alternative products like paper bags and jute bags reached the public well. People were seen carrying steel boxes to buy meat, reflecting the success of the campaign.

Former GVMC Commissioner C.M. Saikanth Varma continued the ‘Eco-Vizag’ campaign and relaunched it in June 2023. He focussed on five components — cleanliness, greenery, water conservation, plastic ban and pollution reduction — as part of the campaign. Special enforcement teams were also set up as part of the campaign.

After a brief lull, due to the elections as well as the change in governance, the GVMC now headed by Commissioner P. Sampath Kumar, has decided to re-enforce the ban strictly as plastic has made a visible comeback in the city. In November, the GVMC launched a 45-day action plan on the conduct of awareness programmes over the single-use plastic ban from January 1, 2025.

“The corporation has taken up a multi-pronged approach. Apart from asking industries to stop manufacturing single-use plastic products, we will ensure that alternatives are available in the market for the people. We are working on an action plan towards zero garbage and zero plastic goal,” said Mr. Sampath Kumar.