In a bid to eliminate the usage of plastic bags in our city, the 'My Shopping My Bag' initiative came into being. This is an initiative of the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC). A few like-minded people and representatives from NGO's have partnered with the CCMC to make this initiative reach the people and commercial establishments. Various ways and means that can be adopted in order to wipe off the usage of plastic bags in small, medium and big commercial establishments across our city have been elaborately listed out by the team.
A WhatsApp group 'My Shopping My Bag' was created by City-based Social Activist Timple L this morning. This group also doubles up a platform where ideas and suggestions on how to bring down and eliminate the usage of plastic bags are being discussed. Chitra Raveendran one of the members of this group suggested that in order to eliminate the usage of plastic bags, shop owners must encourage their customers to bring their own shopping bags. She shared that her house keeping staff too is a staunch supporter of this campaign.
B Kavitha another member of this group shared that the tailors in every locality can be encouraged to design, stitch and sell cloth bags. In a bid to encourage citizens to carry a cloth bag instead of a plastic bag, the students of Sri Krishna College have stitched a few cloth bags for shop owners who have provided them with cloth. We are told that the students of this department have volunteered to do this activity as a service, provided the shop owners provide them with cloth for the bags.
Additionally, The 'My Shopping My Bag team' has created a declaration form where the individual shop owners will declare to the Commissioner, Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) that their business will refrain from using plastic bags. By signing this declaration form the shop owners automatically become a part of this campaign and furthermore they also pledge to educate their customers not to use plastic bags and encourage customers to carry their own cloth bags while they shop.
The team will identify one-hundred shopping establishments who do not use plastic bags and the team will bring out the tentative list by November 10. Shop owners who wish to become a part of the list must sign the declaration form.
In the mean time news comes in that West Zone Zonal Sanitary Officer, Radhakrishnan and his team would be visiting commercial establishments this evening to create awareness about the My Shopping My Bag initiative. Those who are interested in joining the team to sensitise the public can do so.
The CCMC has identified 10 heads and representative of NGOs in the five zones in our city. The identified volunteers will assist the Zonal Sanitary Officers (ZSO) in implementing the My Shopping My Bag initiative. CGS Manian, Raveendran (RAAC), Mohammed Saleem, Prasanna, Rajendar, Manikandan, Timple, Osai Syed, Chandresekar and Jawahar are the NGO coordination team who have been appointed by the CCMC to implement this laudable project.
Those who wish to become a part of the My Shopping My Bag initiative can call 94433-44731 and enrol themselves in this initiative.