Launch of the programme
The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) launched the 'Punjab Plastic Champions Programme' on Tuesday at the Government Model Senior Secondary School of Eminence, Pheel Khana, Patiala. The school-based initiative is designed to bring plastic waste awareness and segregation to the grassroots level, focusing on collecting multi-layered plastic (MLP) and other flexible packaging—such as chips and snack packets, biscuit and confectionery wrappers, noodle packets, and sachets—that often have limited recycling value and can end up in landfills when mixed with general waste.
The programme is being implemented in partnership with the Punjab Plastic Waste Management Society and the NGO Mera Patiala Main Hee Sawara. The launch event saw participation from representatives of more than 20 schools, including NSS and Eco-Club coordinators, teachers, and students, with support from the District Education Department, Patiala, including Dr Ravinderpal Singh, Deputy District Education Officer.
At the launch, PPCB Chairperson Reena Gupta said: "This is a flagship model initiative through which we want to demonstrate that meaningful environmental behaviour change can begin in our schools." She added, "I am highly encouraged by the enthusiasm of the students and schools participating today, and I believe that if Patiala's children make this programme a success, it can become an example for other states as well."
How the programme works
The initiative is designed not merely as a short-term collection drive but as an effort to build segregation and responsible waste-management habits among children at an early age. Students will be educated about plastic pollution and encouraged to collect MLP waste generated at home, keep it clean and dry, and deposit it in designated collection boxes at their schools. The PPCB will facilitate the processing of the collected material and its diversion from landfills.
Schools without NSS or Eco-Clubs were encouraged to establish student-led environmental groups to sustain participation in waste-management and environmental-protection initiatives. The first phase of the programme will conclude with a two-week school-level collection championship, after which the waste will be collected and quantified. A second phase will cover another group of schools, with an immediate objective of reaching around 50 schools in Patiala.
Recognition and future plans
Top-performing schools will be felicitated at the PPCB's state-level Plastic Waste Management Conference on October 10, 2026. The Patiala programme will also be presented as a model for wider implementation across Punjab.
According to The Times of India, Rishi Aggarwal, associated with Maharashtra's Safai Bank initiative—which inspired the school-based model—and Damanjot Kaur, an environmentalist and content creator, interacted with students at the launch. The same report noted that Gupta said the initiative sought to build long-term environmental habits rather than remain a competition or short-term drive.