Electronics City will become plastic free

Electronics City will become plastic free
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: If everything goes according to plan, the Electronics City Industries’ Association (ELCIA) has determined to make Electronics City waste-sensitive and free of plastic soon. Saahas and NTTF Electronics Training Centre will assist ELCIA.

Around 120 student volunteers are expected to participate in the programme. In a preliminary presentation, NGO Saahas will conduct a brief awareness/training for the volunteers on July 14. A one-day programme has been arranged for the volunteers on July 20. After attending the programme, the volunteers will split into three groups to take up three different activities in rotation.

In the first activity, the group will pick up waste and clean footpaths of Electronics City. In the second, the group will interact with hawkers, visitors and employees to make them aware of ELCIA’s waste programme. Awareness material including bookmarks, car stickers and posters will be distributed. A stall will be set up to distribute these materials and sell cloth bags at Rs. 10 each to motivate individuals to stop using plastic carry-bags.

In the third activity, volunteers will interact with vendors and scrap dealers to get information about the types of waste generated, the quantity and the collection and disposal systems. Saahas will help with a questionnaire which will be given to the volunteers.

The CLCIA will prepare awareness material which is functional and does not add to waste. In addition, prominent signages all over Electronics City will carry the message for visitors and employees.

The association plans to make three different bags in kora (Rs. 20), jute (Rs. 55) and canvas (Rs. 135). Industrial establishments can select these bags depending on their budget and make them available to their employees at 50 percent of the cost. Each bag will have the ‘Less Plastic for Me’ logo.