Anti-plastic campaign at Manimuthar dam,
Jan 19, 2009:
TIRUNELVELI: An anti-plastic campaign was carried out at the Manimuthar dam check-post when hundreds of revellers were allowed entry to bathe at the Manimuthar waterfalls on Thursday last in view of Maattu Pongal.
This is the eighth year of the campaign conducted by the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment (ATREE) in collaboration with the Forest Department.
Children belonging to Singampatti and Paappaankulam Green Brigades of ATREE were involved in the campaign.
They screened every vehicle entering the forest and confiscated plastic bags. Organisers of the campaign said that this activity was necessary since people use the bags to carry different articles including food and then dump them in the forest causing havoc to the environment.
Sustained campaign to avoid the use of plastic bags seemed to be having a desirable effect as they observed decreased use of plastic bags this time. Most people were cooperative and many preferred to buy the subsidised cloth bags, which were being provided by ATREE as an alternative to carry their goods.
The organisers also said that while access for people to the forests on such occasions could not be denied totally, the huge volumes need to be regulated so as to keep the impact on the forest environment at the minimum. An awareness among the people also has to be created on how their activities have an adverse impact on the environment which, in turn, has a negative effect on all of us and the entire eco-system.
source: http://www.hindu.com/2009/01/19/stories/2009011955050600.htm
Awareness campaign on plastic pollution launched in Tirunelveli
Oct 27, 2009:
TIRUNELVELI: An awareness campaign on solid waste management and segregation of plastic waste at source was inaugurated at Palayamkottai on Monday.
As the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board recently allotted Rs.2 lakh each for Tirunelveli and Tuticorin Corporations and Rs.1 lakh for Nagercoil municipality, the local bodies have planned to conduct a series of campaigns.
Moreover, these local bodies have agreed to segregate the non-recyclable plastic waste and send it to India Cements Limiteds manufacturing unit at Sankar Nagar on the outskirts of Tirunelveli, where the hazardous waste will be shredded, mixed with cashew shell and used as fuel along with coal, the regular fuel. To sensitise the public to the need for segregating the plastic waste at source, the TNPCB will assist the civic bodies in organising awareness programmes.
Launching the campaign at St. Johns Higher Secondary School, Palayamkottai, Minister for Environment, Youth Welfare and Sports T.P.M. Maideen Khan said the awareness campaign should create an awareness among the public of the adverse impact of pollution being caused by the plastic products, particularly by the non-recyclable plastic materials, should encourage the public to switch over to the materials other than the plastic to the maximum possible extent so that generation of plastic waste would minimise significantly. Mr. Maideen Khan, who released a folk songs compact disc for creating an awareness.Collector M. Jayaraman said the local body representatives, government officials, teachers and students should launch a coordinated campaign against the use of plastic materials, particularly the plastic products having a thickness of 20 micron and below and its hostile impact on the environment when it was discarded.
TNPCB Chairman R. Balakrishnan, TNPCB Member-Secretary R. Ramachandran, Senior vice-president of ICL S. Nandakumar and others spoke.
source: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/10/27/stories/2009102757310300.htm