Coconut vendors were encouraged to supply coconut water without plastic straws. Credit: Johanna Alexis/Flickr (Creative Commons).

Bengaluru, the capital of Indian state Karnataka, has introduced a new challenge to address the issue of plastic across the city.

Dubbed the ‘No Straw Nariyal Challenge’, the initiative was launched by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) administrative body to tackle the pervasive issue of plastic waste associated with tender coconut vendors.

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As part of this initiative, the BBMP organised a series of campaigns among both vendors and consumers to help develop eco-conscious practices.

Specifically, the body called for the aforementioned vendors to eliminate plastic straws and incentivised them to use sustainable alternatives such as selling coconut water without the straws.

The challenge was volunteered by IndianPlogman & Cupman, a non-governmental organisation, and participants of the BBMP Marshals unit.

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The concept was executed at approximately 50 coconut vendors at different spots in the city.

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In addition to discouraging the use of plastic straws, the challenge was designed to encourage the idea of ‘bring your own cup.’

The country’s Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, in a statement, said: “Despite tireless efforts to kerb single-use plastic, BBMP officials observed that many coconut vendors were persistently using plastic straws.”

“This innovative step fostered a sense of responsibility among the coconut vendors as well as the public, highlighting that even the smallest changes in our daily routines can collectively make a substantial impact in the fight against plastic pollution across the vibrant streets of Bengaluru.”

In July this year, India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said that the country’s average rate of plastic recycling had surpassed the global average of 9% and that of some developed economies.