Chandigarh, May 23 -- As part of its ongoing plastic-free initiative, the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) on Friday launched an awareness drive at prominent religious institutions in Fatehgarh Sahib district to promote the use of eco-friendly alternatives to single-use plastic. Acting under the guidance of PPCB chairperson Reena Gupta and member secretary Lavneet Dube, officials from the Board's regional office in Fatehgarh Sahib visited major religious sites, including Gurudwara Shri Fatehgarh Sahib, Hazrat Sheikh Ahmad Farooqi Rauza Sharif, and Ram Mandir in Mandi Gobindgarh. During the outreach programme, PPCB officials interacted with the management committees and office-bearers of the religious institutions, including representatives of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), urging them to replace single-use plastic bags with compostable carry bags for distributing parshad and other offerings to devotees. To encourage immediate adoption of the initiative, the Board distributed samples and a limited stock of compostable carry bags free of cost among the institutions. Officials said the exercise was aimed at assessing public response and encouraging wider acceptance of sustainable alternatives. The management of Gurudwara Shri Fatehgarh Sahib informed the visiting officials that the proposal would be forwarded to the SGPC headquarters in Amritsar for possible implementation across gurdwaras in Punjab. PPCB officials said the initiative is part of the Board's broader campaign to reduce plastic waste and promote environmentally sustainable practices at public and religious gatherings across the state....