The Cement Manufacturers Association (CMA) was felicitated at an event organized by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, on November 19, 2019 at New Delhi. The award was presented to Mahendra Singhi, President, CMA and Ms Aparna Dutt Sharma, Secretary General, CMA, by the Ministry of Jal Shakti. Sadananda Gowda, Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers.  

Rattan Lal Kataria, Minister of State for Jal Shakti, and Parameswaran Iyer, Secretary, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, were the distinguished guests at the award ceremony.

It may be recalled that Prime Minister during his Independence Day speech on August 15, 2019, had spoken of the need to reduce single use plastic in the country. Subsequently, the Ministry of Jal Shakti led the Swachhata hi Seva campaign. CMA was identified as a valuable partner for its potential role in the management of non-recyclable single use plastic waste under the Swachhata hi Seva campaign.

The campaign involved collaboration in two phases, viz, awareness creation in Phase I, and plastic waste disposal in Phase II. During the first phase of awareness creation, from September 11 till October 1, 2019, over 3.25 lakh people were directly sensitized about the ill effects of single use plastic.