Lachen, one of the most visited towns in Sikkim has taken a major step against plastic pollution by introducing bamboo bottles for tourists.
India has banned single-use plastic items but packaged water bottles are something yet to be considered. However, by banning packaged water bottles, Lachen is going to be the first zero plastic zone in the country.
Mr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region posted and announced the initiative on Twitter.
In bid to make India single use plastic free, #Sikkim's Lachen set to introduce eco-friendly bamboo bottles as alternative to plastic. pic.twitter.com/GuQFkPtaf9
- Dr Jitendra Singh (@DrJitendraSingh) March 4, 2020
The bamboo bottles will be launched during the Lachen Losar Festival, 2020. Losar is a festival of New Year celebrated on the first day of the Lunisolar Tibetan Calendar in Tibetian Buddism. Nearly, 1000 bottles have been specially ordered from Assam by Mr. Hishey Lachungpa, MP of Sikkim Rajya Sabha. India is the second-largest producer of Bamboo in the world after China and Assam is the largest producer in India.
Having said that, it is not the first time that Sikkim has stepped forward to fight against pollution. In the year 1998, Sikkim was the first state in India to ban plastic and in the year 2016, Sikkim banned package water bottles in the government offices.
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