The Forest Department has joined hands with non-governmental organisations (NGOs), local bodies, and the public to clear plastic waste littered along forest boundaries.
Such cleaning drives gained momentum after waste materials, including sanitary napkin, mask, etc., were found in the dung pile of a wild elephant at Maruthamalai recently.
On Saturday, a cleaning drive was conducted along the sides of Vaidehi stream near Narasipuram and the volunteers removed one tonne waste such as polythene bags, plastic wraps, plastic bottles and liquor.
The drive was held on a 750 metre stretch of the stream from Poondi north beat of Boluvampatti block II reserve forest.
Boluvampatti Forest Range Officer T. Saravanan led the cleaning drive in which Forest Department staff, Revenue Department staff from Thondamuthur block, police personnel from the Alandurai station, president, vice-president and conservancy workers of Narasipuram panchayat took part.The waste collected was handed over to Narasipuram panchayat.
According to District Forest Officer T.K. Ashok Kumar, around one tonne waste discarded by people in the elephant proof trench close to Thiruvalluvar Nagar near Kanuvai were cleared in a drive organised by Coimbatore Forest Range Officer R. Arunkumar and volunteers of the Wildlife and Nature Conservation Trust (WNCT) recently.
Forest Department staff, WNCT team led by M. Sirajudeen and ward members from Nanjundapuram panchayat also conducted an awareness campaign for the public on the dangers of littering plastic waste.
The Department informed the public that stringent action would be taken against people who discard waste in forest areas and along boundaries.
