NEW DELHI: In his monthly radio programme ‘Man Ki Baat’, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed concerns over the issue of textile waste and the increasing trend of opting for fast fashion as part of his intent to raise awareness about social issues with the people during his address.
The Prime Minister said the textile waste has become a major cause of worry for the whole world. “The trend of getting rid of old clothes as soon as possible and buying new ones is increasing all over the world,” he said. “Have you ever thought about what happens to the old clothes that you stop wearing? This becomes textile waste,” he added.
Apprising people about the research work being done globally to deal with the textile waste menace, Modi said that only less than one percent of textile waste is recycled into new clothes. “India is the third country in the world where the maximum textile waste is generated. This means that we also face a huge challenge,” he said.
The Prime Minister, however, expressed his happiness about the several commendable efforts that are being undertaken in India to deal with this challenge. Underlining that many Indian start-ups have begun working on textile recovery facilities, the PM said, “There are many such teams that are also working for the empowerment of our ragpicker brothers and sisters.
Many young friends are involved in the efforts towards sustainable fashion. They recycle old clothes and footwear and distribute them to the needy. Many items like decorative pieces, handbags, stationery and toys are being made from textile waste.”
Many organisations are engaged in popularising circular fashion brands these days, he added. Talking about new cloth rental platforms, Modi said designer clothes are available on rent and also applauded the work done in cities like Bengaluru, Tirupur and Panipat.
“Panipat in Haryana is emerging as a global hub for textile recycling. Bengaluru is also creating a distinct identity for itself with innovative tech solutions. More than half of the textile waste is collected here, which is an example for our other cities as well. Similarly, Tirupur in Tamil Nadu is engaged in textile waste management through wastewater treatment and renewable energy,” Modi said.
He said said various states are celebrating their traditional new year on Sunday and many others will be celebrating in the coming days. They are a pointer to the spirit of unity pervading India’s diversity.