Goverment to launch campaign against plastic waste soon: Prakash Javadekar

Describing the increasing amount of plastic waste in the country as a 'serious issue', Union minister for environment and forests Prakash Javadekar on Saturday said the government would soon start a special campaign to make people aware about its hazards.

"Around 15,000 ton of plastic garbage is generated daily, out of which 9,000 ton is collected while the remaining is just left. This is a serious issue and people need to be be made aware about it," Javadekar said during a press conference at BJP office.

Referring to other environmental issues, the Union minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change said, "The ministry would clear all proposals related with buffer zones of forest areas received from the states in the next five-six months."

Javadekar said the ministry has identified 3,206 industries in 17 polluting sectors across the country and they have been mandated to install 24/7 pollution-monitoring devices on discharge of effluents.