Punjab election officer calls for eco-friendly means for poll campaign

Punjab Chief Electoral Officer S Karuna Raju has asked all political parties to use eco-friendly material for campaigning during the Lok Sabha election. Raju asked the parties not to use single-use plastic material as it causes adverse impact on human health and environment.

In a statement, Raju said the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had approached the commission with the request to direct political parties to use eco-friendly material. "A lot of the campaigning material, including posters, cut-outs, hoardings, banners, political advertisements and others, are made of plastic and, after the elections, these electioneering material becomes waste," Raju said.

The chief electoral officer said a number of alternatives like compostable bags, natural fabrics, recycled paper and other material could be used during the campaign. Raju emphasised that the general election had given an excellent opportunity to bring a revolutionary change in campaigning by promoting such sustainable practices.