PM Modi has appealed to people to say no to single-use plastic: Javadekar

Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Thursday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appealed to people to say "no" to single-use plastic as in India, recyclable plastic does not get collected properly.

Javadekar said this at a press conference while responding to a question seeking clarity on whether the government has banned plastic.

"The prime minister has clearly said that 'say no to single-use plastic'. It is a national campaign. As far as advisories are concerned, the ministry issues that from time to time.

"The problem in our country is that recyclable plastic does not get collected properly. So October 2, 2019, onwards, the prime minister is urging people to collect recyclable waste properly so that it goes for recycling," he said.

Javadekar also said PM Modi will address an important conference on climate change scheduled to be held in New York next week.

"There is a very important climate change conference organised by the UN Secretary General in New York. The prime minister will be addressing the conference and the UN General Assembly also," he said, adding India will highlight its achievements in environment protection in that conference.

"Under his (PM Modi's) dynamic leadership we have taken many steps in reducing the energy intensity of our industries, in increasing the green cover and aiming at 100 GW of solar power and 175 GW of renewable energy, and push for e-mobility. All these achievements will be before the world," he said.

The Union environment minister also said that after this conference, he will go to Shanghai Cooperation of eight countries where issues related to smart city will be discussed.

"We will put India's leadership position and sustained efforts in that direction," Javadekar said.