KOCHI:
A 24ft art installation (Christmas tree) utilising about 25,000 used Single Use Plastic water bottles has been set up by Cochin Port fraternity at the CoPT Walkway in Willingdon Island (near Kannanghat Bridge) to spread awareness on the growing menace of Single Use Plastics (SUPs).
Subsequent to the awareness generation and Shramdan conducted during Swachhata Hi Seva campaign in September 2019, Cochin Port Trust held various meetings with CISF, CoPT Unit, KV Port Trust, leading hotels and trade organisations in Cochin Port area including Casino Hotel, Hotel Taj Malabar, Hotel Trident & Cochin Steamer Agents’ Association towards reducing the use of Single Use Plastics in the Port area from 01.01.2020. As per the Govt. of India guidelines and in compliance of Govt. of Kerala order, it was decided to stop use of the
following items in the offices of Cochin Port with immediate effect:
All kinds of plastic carry bags, plastic cups, plates, spoons, forks, straws, dishes, stirrer, plastic coated paper cups, plates, bowls, carry bags, plastic water pouches, plastic juice packets, SUP drinking water bottles, Plastic garbage bags, PVC flex materials, Plastic packets etc.
Employees of Cochin Port Trust have been urged to bring food items & drinking water to office in steel containers & glass/steel bottles instead of plastic containers/bottles w.e.f. 01.01.2020. Also employees would be restricted from bringing plastic carry bags and SUP items to the office. Serving water in SUP bottles during meetings has been stopped in Cochin Port Trust and instead started serving water in glass tumblers/glass bottles. Instructions in these lines have also been issued to all lessees of Cochin Port Trust for strict compliance.
Cochin Port Trust organized a ‘Do It Yourself’ (DIY) session on “making shopping bag out of one’s own used T-Shirt” in association with teachers and students of St. Teresa’s College, Ernakulam on 06.12.2019 to equip employees of Cochin Port Trust in making shopping bag out of one’s own used T-Shirt. Cloth shopping bags at a discounted price are being distributed to employees of Cochin Port Trust as an alternative to plastic carry bags for shopping purpose.
As Single Use Plastics are banned in Kerala w.e.f. 01.01.2020, the members of Cochin Port fraternity as mentioned above have decided to put up an art installation with a view to generate awareness on the adverse impacts of Single Use Plastics and to urge people to pledge against the use of SUPs.
25000 SUP bottles were used for the installation collected from leading hotels in W/Island, employees of Cochin Port Trust, students of Kendriya Vidyalaya Port Trust during the last month. It shows the magnitude of the of SUP bottles waste being generated in such a small area in short span. The installation has been created in 15 days by a team of volunteers from Cochin Port fraternity led by Shri Saran S.P. and Jinse Berleigh. A signature board has been
placed near the SUP Christmas tree installation for the general public to join the campaign towards a plastic-free India.
The installation will be placed during 21 st to 31 st December 2019 for the awareness purpose. The Cochin Port fraternity is on the lookout for innovative ideas from public for responsible disposal / up-cycling of the SUP bottles utilised for the installation.
