– BeeNet Manipur
‘Beat Plastic Pollution’ is the theme of the World Environment Day, 2025, and the Biodiversity, Ecology and Environment Network (BeeNet) Manipur is endorsed in campaigning for a united efforts of all the attentive people to jointly work on achieving the global objective of beating the plastic pollution in connection with the observance of the World Environment Day. Half-hearted lifestyles and negligence in the Laws of Nature and excessive exploitation of Nature’s gifts and resources, human activities that cause deforestation, loosing balanced-biodiversity, urbanization beyond needs and encroachments on natural features of rivers, canals and wetlands etc. are the factors behind today’s often meeting with devastating floods and droughts. When the world begins crying against water pollution, air pollution, noise pollution and soil pollution, the issues of plastic pollution has become fore running factor for polluting all the above kinds of pollution, and it is the reason why the concerned bodies including the United Nations are pursuing for urgent actions to control plastic pollution by inviting participation of all sections of people.
The state’s already inflicted with the maladies of plastic pollution could be seen even during this ongoing flood calamities with overflowing of wild streams and water levels by unfathomable quantities of plastic debris. The traditional storage-pit of kitchen leftovers known locally as Lukhak-kom that were once the best source of fertile soils and used in plenty as plant-nutrients of kitchen garden, have now become containers of plastic debris only giving out toxic chemicals which extremely affects our environment thereby causing dreaded diseases to all living beings and more particularly to human health. Reports say that plastic pollution produces toxic chemicals like Bisphenol A (BPA) and Phthalates which help in causing cancer to human bodies, cases of infertility with letting human bodies expose to endocrine- disrupting chemicals, emanates neuron-toxic chemicals like lead and mercury which can cause neurological disorders, and also burned plastic waste results respiratory problems to human being by inhaling in plastic particles polluting the air. Plastic pollution is not only giving hazardous impact to human bodies but also causing threads to both domestic and wildlife animals through many ways such as contaminated food chains, entangle with and suffocation to the plastic-debris to causing injuries and deaths. Many cases of health problems and untimely deaths are certainly caused to precious animals like cows, ponies and dogs etc. as they are compelled to ingestion of plastic debris. It is alarmingly reported that the oceans of the world are now deposited with about 200-275 million metric tons of plastic debris, and its twenty-third times of quantities are polluting the agricultural lands on the earth’s surface. Already begun with such fearful infliction in our state, can easily be calculated by the lively scenes of heavy plastic debris accumulating in the state’s land surfaces and in the water bodies, and more clearly witness of overflowing the streams of the Imphal river, the Iril river, the Nambul river etc. and other streams and they’re finally accumulating in huge quantities at the dams and barrages. The recent social media viral reports for the case of Ithai Barrage fully covered and clogged with plastic wastes during the ongoing flood is the vivid example of experiencing plastic pollution but these are small in quantities when to compare with huge plastic debris scattering here and there mostly in and around the towns and cities of the state.
It may further be noted that plastic pollution has become one of the major threads to living of human being and other living beings with sustainable environment since plastic debris have helped in causing dreaded diseases like Cancer, infertility, neurological complicacies, respiratory problems and also to global warming and climate changes etc. The futurity of human being shall be in blink if not these hazardous impacts of plastic pollution is timely controlled. Some of the ways forward to addressing this alarming situation are (i). Reducing at best capacities to shun single use plastic items, (ii). Disinterest in giving and demand of plastic bags and wrappers in selling and purchasing things in the markets and local shops, (iii). Inculcating habits of consuming things packaged or wrapped with bio-degradable things, (iv). Collection of used plastic items at proper place for proper recycling, (v). Shop keeper and business owners to encourage the customers coming with plastic free bags or wrappers with incentives in any form, (vi). Educate youngsters about the fearful impacts of plastic pollution at family levels, village levels and state levels, (vii). Soulful encouragement and participation in the environmental awareness programme at opportune times, (viii). Discourage in using plastic branded gifts and presents in the celebration of festivals, birthdays and rituals, (ix). Encouragement of using glass, stateliness steels and bamboo-based utensils, (x). Opting eco-friendly cleaning products with biodegradable packaging.
It is not possible to live without plastics but it is more important to know that plastic pollution severely affects environment without which we cannot live healthily and joyously. With this view the Biodiversity, Ecology and Environment Network Manipur (BeeNet Manipur) celebrates the World Environment Day, 2025 at the Angan Ching Eco-Park, Kakching focusing this year’s noble theme ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’ and to affirm decision of taking up activities to lead people of the state living with free from plastic pollution with inviting supports from all sections of the society irrespective caste and creed. Let us beat plastic pollution to live and let live with sustainable environment and development.