Devotees carrying non-plastic bags to Tiruvannamalai temple

As part of efforts to promote environment-friendly materials, devotees carrying non-plastic bags during the coming Karthigai Deepam festival at the Lord Shiva temple in Tiruvannamalai would stand a chance to get a gift of gold or silver coin, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board said on Friday. A release from the TNPCB said gold coins of two grams each and silver coins of one gram each would be given to 12 and 72 devotees respectively to be selected through a draw of lot during the festival on December 10.

The initiative has been take up in association with the Tiruvannamlai district administration, it said. "Through a computerised draw, the devotees will be selected. It has been planned to distribute two gram gold coins to 12 persons selected based on the draw and one gram of silver coin to 72 persons...", it said.

The move was to encourage use of environment friendly bags and do away with the plastic, the board said. Free cloth bags would be distributed to those who carry environment-friendly bags, the release added.

Lakhs of devotees will throng the temple for the annual festival. The AIADMK government in the state has announced a ban on single use plastic items, including non-biodegradable carry bags, from January 1 this year. PTI VIJ VS VS.

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