THE Maharashtra Government is planning to set up a cloth bag vending machine at Mantralaya (StateSecretariat)hereinitsdrive againstsingle-useplasticsahead of the World Environment Day on Thursday, an official said. All departments at the Secretariat have been asked to collectanddepositthesingle-use plastic items at their offices as part of the drive, he said.

The state Environment and Climate Change Department is planning to install the cloth bag vending machine at the Secretariat on Thursday as a demonstrationfordaily visitors, the official said. It issued an order on Tuesday, asking all the departments to deposit the single-use plastic items in their offices at the Trimurti location in the Mantralaya. Theenvironmentdepartment has already installed cloth bag vendingmachinesatprominent locations, including the Shreemant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Temple in Pune and a temple atParliVaijanathinBeed district. These machines dispenseeco-friendlyclothbagsfor Rs 10, encouraging sustainable alternativestoplasticbags,which pose significant environmental concerns.

Attheinaugurationofthefacility in Pune last month, state Environment Minister Pankaja Munde stressed the importance ofraising awareness about plastic-free alternatives. “Religious sites see an extensiveuseofplasticbags.Byadopting options like these cloth bag vending machines, we can significantly contribute to environmental conservation,” she said, commending the DagdushethTrustforitssupport.