https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Waste To Wealth Via Funerals

In Sambhal district of UP, administration started a unique initiative against single use plastic From every block to urban local bodies and district headquarters, a plastic funeral procession is taken out on every month. The brain behind this initiative is 2013 batch IAS officer and DM of Sambhal, Mr. Manish Bansal.
Indian Masterminds Stories

It’s a funeral procession bring taken out in Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh. Lot of people participating the procession especially women are crying. Yet the district administration and people at large are visibly elated because the funeral is of single-use plastic. 

The symbolic effigy is properly decorated. After collection of plastic the bier is cremated symbolically. During this, slogans of freedom from plastic are raised. People take a vow to boycott single-use plastic.

The move is brainchild of the  2014-batch IAS officer and district magistrate of Sambhal, Mr. Manish Bansal. Through funeral procession, Mr Bansal is spreading awareness about the single use plastic among the people of his district.

2013-batch IAS officer and district magistrate of Sambhal, Mr. Manish Bansal

MONTHLY RITUAL

These funeral processions are becoming a monthly ritual in Sambhal. They are taken out on 15th of every month in all the eight blocks, urban local bodies and also district headquarters of Sambhal, to bid farewell to single-use plastic.

So far 275 quintals of plastic has been collected in Sambhal. Speaking exclusively with Indian Masterminds, Mr. Bansal said, “The aim of this initiative is to bring about a behaviour change. And that has already started happening gradually. Polythene’s are so easily available that people don’t carry a cloth to the market.”

Many collection centres have been set up in the district. The same work is being done by the correct urban local bodies too. Approximately 120 quintals plastic was collected in December and 155 quintal was collected in January.

WASTE TO WEALTH

Mr. Bansal said, “ Alongside awareness campaign we are also launching an enforcement drive. I know that this will not make a difference in a day, but over the time, it will definitely bring about a lot of change.”

The administration is also planning to create wealth from this waste.Mr. Bansal said, “We are in talks with some companies, who make benches for parks and tiles by recycling waste plastic. So the waste can be converted into some useful products. We will thus not only be creating wealth from waste but will also send a message across.”

ENFORCEMENT DRIVE

Apart from this, to stop the use of plastic, administration is running frequent enforcement drives, in which whoever has single use plastic like polythene etc in bulk, it is seized. Penalties are also imposed on them. Apart from this, administration run regular awareness campaigns in schools and colleges, in which children are told about the dangers of plastic pollutions.

PLASTIC DATA

According to Ministry of Environment, India produces almost 3.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually. That is 25, 490 kg per capita generation of plastic. It has quadrupled in India over the past five years. It is polluting water bodies and disrupting seepage of rain water into the ground.

The pandemic created a surge in plastic production from FMCG markets, e-commerce, food-delivery services etc. The uncollected plastic waste, accounts for 40% dumped in landfills, clogging water bodies and polluting streets. Almost 60% of the plastic waste collected is not recycled. Plastic waste impacts at least 267 species worldwide, including 86% of sea turtle species, 44% of seabird species, and 43% of marine mammal species.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
NCST Holds Review Meeting with NHPC
NCST Holds Review Meeting with NHPC on Implementation of Safeguards for Scheduled Tribe Employees
MP CM Collector Award Niti Aayog
Sampurnata Abhiyan: Madhya Pradesh Leads NITI Aayog Campaign; Collectors from 8 Districts Win Gold
Mohan Yadav
MP CM Mohan Yadav Pushes for Sustainable, Community-Driven Rural Water Policy; Targets 100% Tap Coverage by March 2027
Ajay Bhadoo IAS
IAS Ajay Bhadoo Gets Extended Term as DGFT - What It Means & His Career Journey
THDCIL_Receives_ABMS_Certification_for_Integrity_and_Transparency
THDC India (THDCIL) Awarded ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Certification by BIS - Details Inside
Ministry of Environment
Environment Ministry Clarifies Petrol Vehicle Tender, Cites E-Vehicle Flexibility
Bokaro Steel Plant
PESB Selects Priya Ranjan to Head Bokaro Steel Plant, SAIL’s Key Production Unit
REC Limited wins ‘Best Design Thinking Award’ at 5th Distinguished NBFC (DNA) Awards
REC Limited Bags ‘Best Design Thinking Award’ at 5th Distinguished NBFC Awards
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Dr
Resisted Flawed Schemes, Transferred Thrice In Three Months, Found Solace In Writing
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-11 at 4.48
IAS SVR Srinivas on Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, Tough Calls, and the Real Power of IAS Officers | Video Interview
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-08 at 5.25
Dharavi Redevelopment: IAS Minds Turning 100-Year-Old Slum into a Modern City | Video Interview
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
IAS Minnu P M
“Lazy, Sleepy, Yet Determined”: Minnu P M’s Honest Take on Cracking UPSC
Minnu PM, once a clerk in Kerala Police, cleared UPSC with AIR 150 after five years of struggle. Her...
IPS Ashish Tiwari
From IIT and Investment Banking to Public Service, Meet IPS Ashish Tiwari 
Ashish Tiwari, IIT graduate and former investment banker, chose public service over global finance. As...
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-12 at 7.27
First Attempt IRS, Fourth Attempt IPS: The Relentless Pursuit of Jitendra Kumar Yadav Who Cracked UPSC 3 Times
IPS Yadav is originally from Chhattisgarh. He was first selected for the IRS through UPSC and later for...
Social Media
Masahiro Hara
From Go Board to Global Use, How QR Codes Changed the World: IRAS Officer Ananth Rupanagudi Spotlights Masahiro Hara’s Vision
IRAS officer Ananth Rupanagudi shared a video on Masahiro Hara, the inventor of QR codes, highlighting...
IFS Susanta Nanda Video
A Mother’s Duty: Tigress Watches Over Cubs Splashing in Waterhole — Heartwarming Video Shared By Retd. IFS Officer Susanta Nanda
A tender wildlife video shared by Retd. IFS officer Susanta Nanda shows a tigress keeping watch over...
Mohanmala
Kaziranga Mourns: Beloved Elephant Mohanmala Passes Away After Five Decades of Service
Kaziranga National Park mourns the loss of Mohanmala, a beloved elephant who served over 50 years as...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
NCST Holds Review Meeting with NHPC
NCST Holds Review Meeting with NHPC on Implementation of Safeguards for Scheduled Tribe Employees
MP CM Collector Award Niti Aayog
Sampurnata Abhiyan: Madhya Pradesh Leads NITI Aayog Campaign; Collectors from 8 Districts Win Gold
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Dr
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-11 at 4.48
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-08 at 5.25
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT