From the press

OneIndia

Plastic garbage turns off for tourists in Himachal Pradesh


Kufri, Jan 28
The plastic garbage scattered in the Kufri region of Himachal Pradesh has been disappointing the tourists visiting the region.

Although Himachal Pradesh became the first state in India to impose a ban on the use of plastic bags on June 5, 2004, many shopkeepers across the state continue to use plastic bags in gross violation of the law.
The plastic waste scattered in and around the Mahasu Peak, one of the main attractions of the Kufri region.Located at an altitude of 10,000-feet above sea level, the Mahasu Peak is the highest in Kufri, and experiences heavy snowfall between the months of December and February.

"My impression before coming to this place was that it is a very beautiful place and we were expecting a lot of snowfall here, but when we came here, the impression was too bad. There is no proper disposable garbage. There is garbage all around. The municipal committee of this place should install more and more hoardings, and should make people aware that this place is of natural beauty, and we should not only enjoy ourselves but we have to sustain this for our future generations," said Ashish Gupta, a tourist from Delhi.
he state's tourism department admits the problem of pollution and worsening conditions of the hill destination.Director of the Tourism Department, Arun Sharma, said that meetings with locals and departments of the state government are being organized to resolve this issue."
The Tourism Department is ready to help them in this regard. I have already spoken to the Environment Department and District Administration, and we are going to discuss this issue with the Panchayat representatives in detail, to take necessary steps for curbing this problem. If then also we don't come across any solution, then simultaneously we will invoke penal provisions," said Sharma.




The Hindu
Plastic waste to be collected from six wards of Nagercoil Municipality

Staff Reporter

Nagercoil:
The district administration has selected six wards of Nagercoil Municipality for the implementation of collecting and sending non-degradable plastic waste from Kanyakumari district to India Cements in Tirunelveli district as fuel, said the Collector, Rajendra Ratnoo.

India Cements
The Collector said that the non-degradable waste from three wards would be collected once in a week, on Monday, and the same would be sent to India Cements everyday from the other three wards.
This was a pilot project and if successfully implemented, it would be extended to other parts of the district, with an intention to announce Kanyakumari as a ‘plastic-free district’ on or before April 1.
More than 400 college and school students underwent special training programme, organised by Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board to take this message to the people from all walks of life.
They would visit nook and corner of each and every village to create awareness among the people on the need for not using plastic items. They would instead tell them to use eco-friendly paper bags and cups.
All the local bodies had been asked to pass a resolution in the council meeting about the ban on the usage of plastic materials.
Throwing the plastic materials would obstruct the rise in groundwater level during rainy season.
Paper bags
The Project Officer of District Rural Development Agency, Santhos Kumar, was asked to select self help groups capable of making paper bags and cups on or before March 15.

As fuel
The Executive Engineer of Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, Kirubanatha Rajan, said that the district administration of Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli and Tuticorin districts made an agreement with India Cements to provide non-degradable wastes to be used as fuel for manufacturing cement.