#trash-tag challenge a big hit in CUSAT

Kochi: The #trash-tag challenge, which is viral on social media, has been taken up by the students of Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) and turned to be a big success.

As part of the drive, initiated by a group of 20 students from various departments more than 400 sacks of plastic trash and huge quantities of organic waste have been removed from the campus within four days.

The #trash-tag drive supported by the Women Studies Centre of the CUSAT is the first of its kind initiated by a university in the state. The #trash-tag challenge in which people are required to remove trash from their surroundings and post pictures of it in social media has been a hit in other cities across the country.

"A vast area of the campus has been used as waste dumping ground by the public for long. People even from Kakkanad used to come to the campus to dump garbage regularly.

The university authorities have been urged to install surveillance cameras in the area. The collected plastic garbage, glass bottles and trash will be given to Kalamassery municipality and scrap dealers.

 Students are engaged in cleaning for one hour to three hours every day morning," said Ramees Rahman, of department of applied economics, the coordinator of the event.

The Women's Studies Centre has sponsored gloves, masks and trash bags for the drive. "Currently, students are meeting the expenses from their own pockets. We have forwarded a request to university authorities for financial support," he added.