World Environment Day 2018 at Udaipur

Responding to the UNEP call to ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’, CEE organised an event to celebrate World Environment Day (WED) in collaboration with Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation in 15 Indo-Himalayan Range locations. In Udaipur, CEE marked the day with a slew of events to initiate environmental conservation actions and conducted a five-day long programme from June 1-5 in association with Rajasthan State Bharat Scouts and Guides and Udaipur Municipal Corporation.

The programme witnessed the involvement of around 350 participants in a variety of activities. On the first day, a movie was screened at three locations of the city, which raised the awareness of the participants about the WED theme along with a session on the actions to be taken for a plastic free earth. Day two of the programme kicked off with a variety of creative activities on the concept of ‘3Rs: Recycle, Reuse and Reduce’, such as poster making, quiz, best out of waste, designing a pictorial slogan, making a smart bag, etc. On the third day, a mini-marathon called Plasticathon was organised to spread awareness among the residents of Udaipur city. Mr. Jitendra Kumar Upadhyay, IAS, Commissioner Devsthan Department, flagged off the marathon at Fatehsagar Lake. Participating students spread the message of avoiding use of plastic and reusing plastic through placards and slogans. Udaipur is known as the city of lakes, but the beauty of these lakes is being destroyed due to pollution, especially plastic pollution, which is affecting the aquatic biodiversity, tourism and livelihoods of the local people. To make the participants understand these complex linkages, a cleanliness drive was organised at DoodhTalai, Pichola Lake, followed by a debriefing session on the fourth day. Around 20 kg of plastic waste was collected at the site which was handed over to the Municipal Corporation. Day five of the programme began with environmental games, a signature campaign, face painting and cultural presentations like song, dance and skit, all of which were based on the theme of ‘beat plastic pollution’.

An exhibition was organised at the Divisional Headquarters of Rajasthan State Bharat Scouts and Guides to showcase the creativity of the participants and to share ideas related to reusing and reducing plastic waste. A Tool Kit developed for schools by CEE in collaboration UNEP focusing on positive action to reduce, reuse and recycle plastic was launched by Mr. Chandra Singh Kothari, Mayor, Udaipur Municipal Corporation; Ms. Kapila Bhandalia, Additional District Educatoin Officer, Udaipur; Mr. Dharampal Singh, Professor, Agriculture College, Udaipur; Mr. Suresh Chandra Khatik, Divisional Secretary, Rajasthan State Bharat Scouts and Guides, Udaipur; and Ms.Rajkumari Meena, Head, Local Association, Rajasthan State Bharat Scouts and Guides, Udaipur. The event culminated with prize distributions for the best entries received in various competitions during the event, followed by an oath to reduce, reuse and recycle plastic for a plastic-free earth.