Reflecting the “Beat Plastic Pollution” theme of this year’s World Environment Day, the inaugural session focused on the management of plastic pollution. 

In his special address on the occasion, Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Dr. Mahesh Sharma pointed out that the need of the hour is to create a social awareness, particularly among the youth, on reducing the single use of plastic and its reuse. He said that the menace of plastic cannot be tackled till a win-win situation is created for all the stakeholders with regard to the use of plastic. Emphasizing the importance of Extended Producer Responsibility in reducing the use of plastic, the Minister gave a call to rope in the organized sector to retrieve, recycle and reuse plastic.