On World Forestry Day on Wednesday, the Telangana Forest department announced that it would soon declare urban parks and other forest areas open to public as plastic-free zones.
The decision was taken during Minister Jogu Ramanna’s visit to the urban park at Kandlakoya (Oxygen Park) where he had laid foundation stone for an aviary.
After discussing the harm to wildlife and forest ecology caused by indiscriminate dumping of plastic waste in the forests, Mr. Ramanna asked the officials to take action to control plastic disposal.
Inspiration from Kerala
In enforcing the plastic ban, the department may take a cue from the Kerala government. In that State, a nominal fee is charged for plastic bottles, covers or wrappers being taken inside the forests.
A sticker will be pasted on the articles after payment of the fee which is refunded after the plastic waste is brought back and deposited with the department.
The same method will be adopted on experimental basis in a few urban parks, and based on the success and the availability of staff for enforcement, the same will be replicated in all eco-tourism locations, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests P.K. Jha informed.
The Forest department has taken up phase-wise establishment of urban parks in 186 forest blocks within the HMDA limits as per directions from Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, Mr. Ramanna said.
Similar parks will be soon launched in Keesara and Shamirpet, he informed, and said they will offer protection from lifestyle diseases to citizens.
Nehru Zoological Park too celebrated World Forestry Day with Mr. Jha planting saplings in the zoo, a press note informed.
