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‘One bag, One Thali’ initiative launched for plastic free Mahakumbh

By, Mahakumbh Nagar (prayagraj):
Jan 04, 2025 07:08 AM IST

Mahakumbh-2025 aims for zero waste with 'One Bag, One Thali' initiative, distributing steel plates and cloth bags to promote cleanliness and environmental care.

The world’s largest gathering of people, Mahakumbh-2025, is set to kick-start on the banks of Sangam, promising to send a strong message about waste management and environmental protection.

Volunteers distributing steel plates and cloth bags in the mela area ahead of Mahakumbh-2025 in Prayagraj. (HT Photo)
Volunteers distributing steel plates and cloth bags in the mela area ahead of Mahakumbh-2025 in Prayagraj. (HT Photo)

While a number of steps undertaken by the state government like setting up temporary STPs and enhancing capacity of existing STPs besides putting in place a system for safe disposal of waste during the 45-day fair, a group of volunteers associated with Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas and volunteers associated with environmental protection activities of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) have taken the initiative of ‘One Bag, One Thali’.

Under this, 15 lakh steel plates and 20 lakh cloth bags will be distributed free of cost in Mahakumbh mela area.

Under the campaign started from the third week of December, till now 1.25 lakh steel plates have already been distributed in the fair area along with the organisations running Bhandara and Anna Kshetra and other big camps. The bags will be distributed among the pilgrims coming from the country and the world, said Sanjay Swami, national convenor (Environmental Education) of Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas.

The aim behind this initiative is to enable pilgrims to easily consume food and prasad in steel plates during the 45-day fair so that there is no need for fibre plates and bowls. The volunteers are appealing to the pilgrims to take a pledge of cleanliness and adopt it in their life and cooperate in mission for ‘zero waste production’. We are urging pilgrims and saints to keep a cloth bag handy so that the use of polythene bags can be rooted out. We will also hold ‘Green Environment Mahakumbh’ national conference on January 31 in the mela area, he shared.

Sanjay Swami said that this ‘One Bag-One Thali’ campaign is being run across India by the volunteers of the two organsiations. Volunteers from different cities and villages have collected one bag and one steel plate from people and sent it to Prayagraj, which is now being distributed in all the camps in the tent city, he added.

“We are also urging all visitors to mela area not to spread any kind of waste by littering on the banks of Sangam and in the fair area. They are being motivated to simply take a dip in the holy waters instead of bathing in it using soap, shampoo and oil etc which only pollutes the water. We are spreading the message that Ganga only requests the devouts that its waters should flow clean and does not even need flowers, leaves, incense and earthen lamps that are usually offered. They should also desist from defecating, urinating, spitting, in Ganga as part of the campaign,” he explained.

To make Mahakumbh plastic free, Mani Ram Das camp in tent city has decided to donate 2 lakh steel glasses to the mela administration. The mela authority has started a special campaign to stop the use of plastic in Mahakumbh. DM of Mahakumbh Nagar Vijay Kiran Anand said that cooperation is also being taken from saints and ashrams in this regard. Maha Mandaleshwar Ram Gopal Das of Mani Ram Das camp supported this initiative and said that 2 lakh steel glasses have been ordered from Chennai which will be donated to mela administration for use during the fair.

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