Jammu: The Jammu University on Thursday launched a green drive by declaring its campus a polythene free zone. The institution claims that it is the first varsity in the country to say no to polythene.

Amitabh Mattoo, vice chancellor of the university, launched the green campaign by planting a sapling in the campus, and declared that the "university shall henceforth be a polythene free zone".

The university has asked the faculty, staff, students and scholars not to use polythene bags nor bring in polythene on the campus, a statement released by the university said.

Mattoo said the climate change is becoming the defining issue of the current era.

"This is the time when communities will have to focus on greenhouse gas emissions and the ways to reduce them," he said. IANS