Haryana forum on Aravallis supports Chalo Amritsar initiative to make city plastic-free

The members of ‘People for Aravallis’, a collective of rural and urban citizens and environmentalists from Haryana, have come out in support of the ‘Chalo Amritsar’ initiative, a citizen’s movement to make Amritsar plastic-free.

The forum, which has notably campaigned for protecting the Aravalli ecosystem from becoming a desert and water-starved due to high-risk illegal sand mining, has now written to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, suggesting measures to make Amritsar an ecologically resilient city to mark the 450th foundation anniversary of Amritsar. Neelam Ahluwalia, founder member, People for Aravallis, in a letter to CM Mann, stated that in response to a public appeal, they seek to suggest sustainable measures that can make Amritsar ecologically resilient and stand as an example for other cities in North India. “Increasing heat island effect is intensifying heat waves across many North Indian cities, including Amritsar, which records some of the highest summer temperatures in Punjab every year. It also mentions the additional factors that impact environmental deterioration in Amritsar, including high vehicular congestion on roads, excessive concretisation, waste dumps and landfills, most notable being Bhagtanwala dump yard,” the letter states.

People for Aravalli’s support for Chalo Amritsar campaign, led by 11 women activists from Punjab, has come at a time when DC Sakshi Sawhney too had recently conducted a meeting with MC officials, reflecting on waste management and increasing surface heat concerns. The average summer temperature recorded in Amritsar this year was between 40 to 43 degree Celsius. Across Punjab, plastic waste generation has doubled in just five years – from 54,000 tonnes in 2017 to nearly 129,000 tonnes by 2022. The average of microplastics and other harmful chemicals sent into air through various forms of pollution is undeniably high as well. “As the city prepares to celebrate the 450th anniversary of its founding by Guru Ram Das Ji, we are urging authorities to eliminate all forms of single-use plastic from the city. The support from People of Aravalli gives us the hope of achieving our goal as well,” said Indu Aurora, a member of Chalo Amritsar initiative.

The Chalo Amritsar team has given representations to PPCB chairman, DC Amritsar, AAP MLAs and senior leaders, calling for plastic collection centres to be set up at every ward, market area and near religious sites to make recycling accessible and effective. Simultaneously, they have requested the state to enforce the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policy – ensuring that plastic-producing companies collect back the waste their products generate.