JAMMU: Jammu Municipal Corporation may soon be lending crockery for small parties and gatherings to discourage single use plastic and plastic utensils/disposables. The Bartan Bank of the civic body owns utensils made of steel, including cups, plates, glasses & spoons etc. The people can borrow on minimum Charges. The Bartan Bank was launched today by Mayor Chander Mohan Gupta, Deputy Mayor Advocate Purnima Sharma and Municipal Commissioner Rahul Yadav. Also present on the occasion were Chairpersons of various standing committees of JMC.
The idea behind this initiative is to shun use of plastic utensils such as spoons, plates, sheets, cups, glasses etc. The steel utensils available for public in Bartan Banks can be availed by any one on minimum charges. The central idea for launching Bartan Banks is to discourage growing use of single use plastic. Further increasing use of plastic and plastic utensils has a tendency to deteriorate the favourable environment. Abreast that such plastic materials are environmentally hazardous. Hence surfacing of Bartan Banks is an environmentally friendly step and a proper substitute for plastic utensils and disposables. The Hon’ble Mayor started the campaign for availing facilities of steel utensils from Bartan Banks.
He further added that it would be a community-run service, where self help groups will manage the services & maintenance, check list of utensils available and borrowed by people & their contact nos. It was anticipated that more such Banks shall be surfacing in the short future. Others who participated on the occasion were Joint Commissioner(A), Rimpy Ohri, Assistant Commissioner Revenue Manish and Secretary, Parvinder Kour.