Latest news with #Narendraswamy
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Earn Re 1 for crushing a plastic bottle in Karnataka from this World Environment Day
Bengaluru: Soon, an empty water bottle that you trash as waste could fetch you money! All you need to do is drop those bottles into a reverse vending machine (RVM) set up by urban local bodies at various locations in your city. The RVMs will not just crush and shred the bottle, but also give you Rs 1 in return per bottle. Determined to make Karnataka plastic-free, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) planned to unveil these RVMs in front of Vidhana Soudha during Environment Day celebrations on June 5. Buoyed by a pilot initiative in Hubballi a few weeks ago, the board submitted a proposal to the state govt for installation within the limits of city corporations and municipalities. PM Narendraswamy, chairperson of KSPCB, said, "If you incentivise anything, people will respond to it. Earlier, there was hardly any response to shredding machines as there were no incentives. But now the machines will give you a coin (Re 1) for every bottle that you deposit. If you do not drop, at least the rag pickers who collect these bottles will drop them at these machines as they will get money." Swamy clarified the machines will be installed by its manufacturer and hence, will not cost anything to the govt. "We only need to provide them with space and operational requirements. For them, the crushed, shredded plastic will be the revenue," he clarified. KSPCB also claimed it would go plastic-free and would recommend the govt to also embrace plastic-free administration aligning with the United Nations' motto 'End Plastic Pollution' from June 5. Close on the lines of KSPCB, completing 50 years, a year-long celebration has been planned with a lot of awareness activities.
The Hindu
22-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
KSPCB chooses ‘End Plastic Pollution' as Environment Day theme
The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has chosen 'End Plastic Pollution' as the theme of World Environment Day which will be celebrated on June 5. KSPCB Chairman P.M. Narendraswamy on Thursday said that various events will be held in Bengaluru to mark the day, including a mass tree plantation drive, photo contest, green selfie challenge, online quiz contest, graffiti contest, walkathon and cyclothon. Exhibitions on sustainable product demonstration, green energy demonstration, showcase of startups in new technologies, carbon credit for farmers concept promotion, e-waste recycling programme, and documentary screening of Environment related progrmmes will also be held. He added that an environment awareness campaign, street play, carbon footprint awareness, carbon footprint audit for organisations and waste audit awareness would also be organised on the occasion. An environmental walk will also be organised in front of the steps on the entrance of the Vidhana Soudha, and around 3,000 people, including ministers, dignitaries, officers, Scouts and Guides, and NCC Cadets, will participate in the celebrations to spread environmental concerns. Mr. Narendraswamy said Chief Minister Siddaramiah will hand over the Karnataka State Environment Awards to individuals and organisations who have rendered significant services in the field of environment protection. He said that ₹50 lakh would be provided to producing or making environment related films. He added that KSPCB has proposed installing Reverse Vending Machines (RVM) in local civic bodies to recycle plastic bottles. 'When plastic bottles are inserted into the RVM kiosks they will be crushed and in turn it will reward ₹ 1 to the person depositing the plastic bottle. By this way we can keep our cities clean, recycle the plastic and the person who deposits the bottle will also get a reward,' he added. S.S. Lingaraja, member secretary, KSPCB said about 1,65,000 checks have been conducted across the state in the last three years, during which around 1,012 tonnes of banned plastics have been seized and a fine of ₹5.6 crore has been collected.
