The Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) has declared the elimination of plastic bottles/cups/straws starting this practice from its headquarters to its hotels (GTDC Residencies) across the State.
Dayanand Sopte, Chairman, GTDC said, “This decision will go a long way in contributing towards environment protection and in reducing plastic waste which has become a bane within the State. Growing plastic waste is a major concern and it’s necessary to keep the environment plastic-free.”
This call was taken at a recently held GTDC board meeting where henceforth water, tea, coffee, etc will be served in cups of paper or glass. Water dispensers, water filters will be put in at the tourism head office and residencies. Water will be served in metal or glass bottles which will be re-fillable.
Sopte added, “We at GTDC have taken on this campaign from the head office 1st and all our residencies will execute this within the next three months so that we are able to play a major role within the endeavor to conserve the environment. This decision of prohibition the use of plastic things will facilitate towards creating an environmentally sustainable tourism sector.”
Plastic bottles are amongst the major plastic items utilized in the tourism industry and they alone contribute to over 20 percent of plastic pollution in the oceans. GTDC’s residencies across the State will terminate the utilization of plastic bottles, plastic cups, and straws in the next three months.
“On achieving this, we will rope in the tourism stakeholders and other partners in the hospitality sector to be a part of the big campaign against the use of plastic bottles and plastic items,” Sopte said.