The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has introduced a plastic bottle crusher machine at its headquarters as part of its environmental sustainability efforts, while also announcing a series of new initiatives focused on waste management, recycling and ecological awareness across the city.
The machine was inaugurated by Municipal Commissioner Dr Kailas Shinde during a special programme held at the civic headquarters. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Shinde stressed that the success of any public initiative depends largely on its sincere implementation from the very beginning. He urged municipal employees to promote waste segregation at source, encourage the use of cloth bags over plastic alternatives and actively participate in reducing plastic waste generation.
Highlighting the role of civic staff in environmental conservation, Dr Shinde said every municipal employee acts as a representative of the city’s cleanliness mission. He encouraged officials to become “plastic marshals” by spreading awareness about responsible waste disposal and sustainable practices among citizens.
Installed at a prominent location on the ground floor of the NMMC headquarters, the plastic bottle crusher has been set up through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) support from Atos in partnership with Rotary Club and Biocrux.
The system allows citizens to deposit used plastic bottles and register their mobile numbers through a keypad interface. Participants receive a congratulatory message along with two reward points for contributing to plastic recycling. These points can later be redeemed for products through Smart Bazaar once users accumulate the required threshold.
According to civic officials, the corporation plans to install 12 additional bottle crusher machines at high-footfall locations, including municipal hospitals and marketplaces, to increase public participation in recycling initiatives.
Beyond waste management, NMMC also announced plans to establish tree nurseries in schools and launch a “Seed Bank” programme aimed at fostering environmental awareness among students from an early age.
The civic body stated that similar sustainability initiatives will be expanded across Navi Mumbai in the coming months. The event concluded with participants taking a pledge under the “Majhi Vasundhara” campaign, reaffirming the corporation’s commitment to environmental protection, responsible resource management and a cleaner urban future.
Source: Prop News Time
