LUCKNOW, May 2 -- In a major push towards environmental sustainability and campus hygiene, the century-old University of Lucknow (LU) has launched its "mission clean", declaring the campus a plastic-free zone. The mandate comes just a day after the university administration imposed a strict ban on the use of tobacco and paan masala on the premises. The administration has formally vested the responsibility in all deans, heads of departments, coordinators, directors, in-charges and officers. These officials are now tasked with ensuring that all employees, faculty members, students and canteen operators remain committed to abandoning plastic bags and other plastic-based items. LU registrar Bhavna Mishra, in an order, stated: "It has frequently been observed that employees, officers, faculty members, students and canteen operators within the university campus utilise plastic bags and various other plastic-based items, resulting in the prevalence of litter and uncleanliness." In this regard, the government has, from time to time, issued directives regarding effective implementation of the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, and LU will adhere to it. In September 2019, the University Grants Commi- ssion (UGC) issued guidelines to higher education instit -utions across the country to impose a ban on single-use plastic. The guidelines stated that the institutions should systematically ban the use of plastic on their campuses and replace it with "environment friendly substitutes"....