One-and-a-half years after Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Vivekananda Kendra’s ‘Green Resilient Rameswaram’ project, the authorities continue to soldier on to rid the island of plastics even as about 6,000 tourists and pilgrims flock to it every day.
After the Prime Minister kick-started the project on July 27, 2017, the Kendra began educating the local people, pilgrims and tourists on containing the use of plastics.
“After we launched the project to conserve the rich heritage of the island and preserve marine biodiversity in the Gulf of Mannar region, we have been making steady progress on several fronts but the island is still not free of plastics,” said G. Vasudev, Secretary of the Kendra. Efforts have been made to take the pilgrims along, as part of the project, he added.
Smart intervention
With the help of non-governmental organisations and the Island Development Committee (IDC), headed by the district collector, the Kendra has intervened with tourists and pilgrims at entry points to the island and Danushkodi to stop them from carrying plastic carry bags, he said. Cloth bags are being distributed to convey the message, he added.
The IDC and the local municipality are working together to contain the use of plastics and hope to free the island of plastics in time for the State-wide ban on plastics that comes into force on January 1, 2019.
Use of plastics on the island had come down drastically, claimed Municipal Commissioner A. Veeramuthukumar and Sanitary Inspector M. Iyappan. The municipality collects 12 metric tonnes of solid waste a day, of which plastic waste constitutes only around 500 kg. There was now greater awareness in fish stalls and vegetable markets about the use of plastics, they added.
Of the around 5 MT of plastic waste collected in a week, nearly 80% is sent for recycling. Source segregation has been launched for better solid waste management, they said.
Managing waste
The Karaikudi and Devakottai municipalities have taken lead in plastic waste management. The Karaikudi municipality collects about 48 tonnes of waste a day and uses 22 tonnes of wet waste to produce 5 tonnes of compost manure a day.
It has also begun supplying 5 to 6 tonnes of plastic materials every week to the department of rural development for laying roads but the project has failed to take off, officials said. The sanitary workers observe ‘plastic Thursday’ every week, creating awareness against the use of plastics.
The Devakottai municipality has set up a pyrolysis plan.
