UNEP and NCC join hand to tackle plastic pollution through ‘Puneet Sagar Abhiyan’

Tags: National

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with National Cadet Corps (NCC) in New Delhi on September 22, 2022 to tackle the issue of plastic pollution and achieve the universal goal of clean water bodies through ‘Puneet Sagar Abhiyan’ and ‘Tide Turners Plastic Challenge programme. 

According to the Defence Ministry the goal of the MoU is to achieve the universal goal of clean water bodies through ‘Puneet Sagar Abhiyan’ and ‘Tide Turners Plastic Challenge programme’.

IMPORTANT FACTS -

Puneet Sagar Abhiyan :

• It was launched by NCC on 1 December 2021 to raise awareness about cleanliness and clean sea shores of plastic & other waste material. Initially the programme was for one month but was extended as a Pan-India round-the-year campaign to cover rivers and other water bodies as well.
• According to the Defence ministry Since the launch of ‘Puneet Sagar Abhiyan’, over 100 tonnes of plastic waste have been collected from nearly 1,900 locations by more than 12 lakh NCC cadets, alumni and volunteers, 

Tide Turners Plastic Challenge programme :

• The UNEP has its own Tide Turners Plastic Challenge programme, where it encourages the global youth to fight plastic pollution around the world.
•  Now both the UNEP and the NCC will jointly work to achieve the goal of fighting plastic pollution and cleaning water bodies .The MoU will be of three years.

United Nation Environment Programme (UNEP) :

• The United Nations Environment Programme was set up in 1972 after the United Nation Conference on Human Environment was held in Stockholm, Sweden in 1972.
• In 1988 it set up Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) with World Meteorological Organisation
• Headquarters: Nairobi, Kenya 
• Director: Inger Andersen 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -

National Cadet Corps (NCC) :

• The NCC in India was formed under the National Cadet Corps Act of 1948 and was raised on 15 July 1948.
• It was set up on the recommendation of Pandit H.N. Kunzru committee.
• The NCC is a voluntary military cadet corps under the Union Ministry of Defence and is open to school and college students.
• It was set up to create a human resource of organized, trained and motivate youth to provide leadership in all walks of life and always available for the service of the nation
• The motto of NCC is: “Unity and Discipline”.
• Headquarters: New Delhi 
• Director General: Lt Gen Gurbirpal Singh