New Delhi, October 2: Urging people to shun single-use plastic, Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said that the plastic is hazardous for the environment across the globe and has also led to the death of many animals. "I urge women to carry their own bags instead of plastic while going out. One bag can be used for years instead of a thin plastic bag. It takes 400 years for one thin plastic bag to decompose. It is hazardous not only for the country but for the entire Earth. Not only that, we all worship cows. But many times when a cattle die, we find that a large amount of plastic is found from its stomach. Plastic has too many negative impacts on our environment," he said while addressing Gandhi Sankalp Yatra in New Delhi.

The Home Minister also stated that it is the responsibility of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers to create awareness about the harmful effects of single-use plastic among the masses. While addressing a gathering, Shah also lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for talking about the importance of water conservation and claimed that scores of ponds have been filled with water because of the awareness among the general public. Plastic Ban in India From October 2: What is Single-Use Plastic? Which Items Will be Banned And What Won't be? All Your Questions Answered.

"After becoming the Prime Minister for the second time, Modi ji created the Water Power Ministry. It is Modi Ji, who took up the task of creating awareness about saving water. The result is that millions of pounds in the country are now filled with fresh water," he said.

He also announced that the BJP leaders and workers will be going to march for 150 kilometres to propagate Gandhiji's principles to all the people 'Gandhi Sankalp Yatra'. "BJP workers across the country will travel 150 km from today to spread Gandhiji's values to the masses. We will try to spread his message from door to door. The great man who showed the path to resolve the issues of the entire world, the man who strengthened the roots of the democracy was Mahatma Gandhi," Shah said.

BJP President Amit Shah today flagged off four-month-long nationwide Gandhi Sankalp Yatra from Shalimar Bagh in Delhi to propagate ideals of the 'Father of the Nation', including cleanliness, simplicity, use of Khadi and non-violence. The Union Minister also walked some distance with Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari and other prominent leaders of the BJP to participate in the event.