RANIPET: Ranipet district has created a world record by clearing 186.9 tonnes of plastic waste materials within three hours surpassing the existing world record set by a Switzerland agency that cleared 128.7 tonnes of plastic waste in three hours.
The district administration deployed 96,000 volunteers to collect 186.9 tonnes of plastic waste materials from all its 288 village panchayats, eight town panchayats and six municipalities within 3 hours.
Elite World Records chief executive officer Rabhi Baalbaki and adjudicator M Noura congratulated Ranipet district collector D Baskara Pandian in the presence of district revenue officer P Kumareshwaran, district rural development agency project director G Loganayagi and other officials for setting two world records within a short span of time.
The district had planted 52.81 lakh palmyra palm seeds in five hours on October 3 to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniverary this year thereby setting a world record.
Rabhi said Elite World Records bestows 'Iconic Awards' once in every three years and this time Ranipet district was adjudicated as 'Icon of the year 2022' for executing the 'largest plastic waste collection drive within 2,500sqkm in three hours'. He invited the district collector to receive the award during the Elite Iconic Awards ceremony, which will be held in Dubai by mid-2023.
Baskara Pandian said the initiative aimed to fulfil the vision of chief minister M K Stalin to ensure plastic-free and green environment. He said the district administration decided to launch efforts to increase the green cover and clear plastic waste materials and execute the projects to set world records.
"We were able to succeed in this due to scrupulous planning and perfect execution. I am deeply worried about the fact that plastic waste is not only a threat to humankind, but it also kills millions of birds, animals, and marine organisms every year and hence to protect the environment, we had this massive plastic waste collection drive in our district," the collector said.
