A national-level webinar on “Ending Plastic Pollution Globally”, was organised by the Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education, on 4th June 2025. The webinar conducted under the aegis of Eco Clubs for Mission LiFE aimed to foster environmental awareness among students, teachers and stakeholders to address the issue of plastic pollution and promote sustainable living.
Sanjay Kumar, Secretary, DoSEL, who chaired the session emphasised the importance of long-term ecological responsibility, observing, “Sowing saplings is not enough; their survivability is also important.” He urged students to nurture trees and involve communities in sustainability efforts while also warning of the health risks posed by microplastics entering the food chain.
The session featured a detailed presentation on plastic pollution by Shri Kartikeya V. Sarabhai, Director, Centre for Environment Education. He laid out a comprehensive waste management strategy built upon the principles of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Refuse, Recover, Re-gift, Repair and Rethink. He further highlighted that schools are critical ecosystems for cultivating environmentally conscious citizens.
In her closing remarks, Dr. Amarpreet Duggal, Joint Secretary, DoSEL, stressed the importance of tree plantation as a key measure for environmental conservation, especially in light of current ecological challenges. A vote of thanks was extended by Dr. Chong Shimray, Associate Professor, NCERT.
Department of School Education & Literacy continues to promote such initiatives as part of its broader commitment to environmental education and active student participation, ensuring that the school community remains at the forefront of climate action, sustainability and ecological responsibility.
The webinar was streamed live on YouTube, enabling widespread participation by students and teachers from across the country.
