Time world said goodbye to single-use plastic: PM

It's time the world said goodbye to single-use plastic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday.

Addressing delegates from nearly 200 countries at the high-level segment of the 14th conference of parties to United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), he said India would put an end an to its use in the coming years.

"Another form of land degradation, which if not prevented, would become impossible to reverse. This is the menace of plastic waste. Apart from having adverse health implications, this is going to render land unproductive and unfit for agriculture.

"My government has announced that India will put an end to single-use plastic in the coming years. I believe time has come for even the world to say goodbye to single-use plastic," the prime minister said.

Modi also announced that India would raise its ambition of the total area to be restored from land degradation status -- from 21 million hectares to 26 million hectares between now and 2030.

The prime minister also said that India would take pride in using remote sensing and space technology for multiple applications, including land restoration.

"I am happy to state that India would be happy to help other friendly countries develop land restoration strategies through cost-effective satellite and space technology," Modi said.