Dharmendra Pradhan appeals public not to use single-use plastic during Rath Yatra

Bhubaneswar: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan appealed public not to use single-use plastic during the upcoming world-famous Rath Yatra in Puri.

In a video message, shared on his X handle, the Union Minister said “Rath Yatra will be held after three days (on June 27). Rath Yatra is the divine occasion of the union of devotee and Lord Jagannath. All the preparations for the Rath Yatra have reached their final stages in Shri Kshetra Puri. The state government and district administration are working to celebrate the Rath Yatra in a grand and peaceful manner.”

“Devotees from around the globe visit Puri to have the divine darshan of the Chaturdha Murti (Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra, and Lord Sudarshana Chakra). Lakhs of devotees do gather in Puri to pull the chariots. They mostly use single-use plastic. They carry Bhog, flowers, drinking water glasses and food in single-use plastic. Due to this, the Puri Bada Danda gets polluted. Such pollution do affects the local environment,” he added.

The Union Minister, further said, “As the single-use plastic has become the major cause of pollution, I request all to ban the use of single-use plastic in Puri from the Rath Yatra to the Bahuda Yatra (July 5).

The Minister also urged the social organizations and youth volunteers to create awareness regarding the ban of single-use plastic among the general public, the devotees visiting Puri so that this would protect future generations.