Upcoming Ardh Kumbh to be plastic-free: Minister

New Delhi: The environment ministry is planning to make next year’s Ardh Kumbh Mela in Allahabad plastic-free in line with the country’s commitment to eliminate single-use plastic, Union minister Harsh Vardhan said.

India was the global host of 2018 World Environment Day. The theme of this year’s edition was “Beat Plastic Pollution”.

“We are intending to have a plastic-free (Ardh) Kumbh next January. We are starting preparations (for it),” Mr Vardhan was quoted by agencies as saying.

He acknowledged that making the Ardh Kumbh plastic-free will be an uphill task.

“We are working on making this (Ardh) Kumbh plastic-free as it is a very tall order but it is a part of our (government’s) dream. We are already working towards beating plastic pollution all over the country but imagine a plastic-free Kumbh. It is something we are planning to do next,” the environment minister said.

Ardh Kumbh Mela, one of the world’s largest religious gatherings, is held every six years. It will be held in January next year.

Millions of Hindu pilgrims stream to Allahabad to bathe in the holy river Ganga to wash away their sins during the festival.

The government’s idea of a plastic-free Ardh Kumbh was welcomed by environmentalists.

It is a “fantastic decisi-on” but the success of a policy depends on its im-plementation. So if it can be implemented properly, then nothing like it, environmentalist Padmavati Dwivedi said. Environm-ent activist, Jagannath Poddar, pointed out that the move will have to be implemented strictly.

“The use of plastic has increased because public has become lazy. Having a plastic-free Kumbh would require strict implementation,” he said.