Small part of grants set aside for plastic-free villages in DK
Mangalore Today News Network
Mangaluru, Nov 22, 2016: Reports state that an interactive meeting on creating plastic-free and clean villages resolved to earmark 5% of the total annual grants of the zilla, taluk and gram panchayats for implementing works in this connection. The meeting was convened jointly by zilla panchayat, Apnadesh Abhiyan, Jana Shikshana Trust, Grama Vikasa Kendra, University College, Mangaluru Press Club, Sugrama Gram Panchayat Women Elected Representatives’ Federation and Chithara Balaga here on Nov 21, Monday. The 5% of the annual grants in the local bodies should be earmarked for cleanliness and creating awareness on ill-effects of plastics in schools and colleges.
Participants in the programme resolved to create awareness on the need for segregating plastic from wet waste and collect it neatly in all households. The gram panchayats should ban burning of plastic carry bags/items in their jurisdiction.The ban on plastic buntings, banners, flexes under Section 5 of the Environment Protection Act should be implemented effectively in all gram panchayats.The NSS volunteers, members of various organisations should create awareness on the ill-effects of use of plastics in all the schools and the colleges.There is a need to increase the use of degradable plastics, thereby contribute towards pollution free environment. All the citizens should contribute towards creating plastic-free zone,".
Zilla panchayat deputy secretary Umesh said the zilla panchayat has already issued a strict instruction to all gram panchayats not to grant permission for the use of plastic banners, buntings and flexes. If the gram panchayats find violation of the guidelines, then action would be initiated against the PDOs, he warned. Zilla panchayat member Mamatha Gatty said Kurnadu gram panchayat in Mudipu was the first village in the state to have a biodegradable waste unit in 2010. But the unit has not been maintained well and has turned out to be a dumping yard. There is a need to impose fine on those who dump garbage beside the road and suspend the trade licenses of traders who fail to dispose of the garbage effectively, he added.
Zilla panchayat member Sucharitha Shetty said plastic waste is posing a big menace and nuisance.There is a need to take up a campaign to collect the plastic materials from all the households in the district and dispose it scientifically without polluting the environment, Shetty said.
Children of 117-year-old Government Upgraded Higher Primary School at Mudungarukatte of Balepuni gram panchayat said they have started a drive against plastic. Whenever they find plastic wrappers and carry bags, they gather them, tie and place them neatly to be handed over to the gram panchayat for recycling. All the 142 children from class 1 to 8 in the higher primary school no longer throw or burn foil paper or any plastic carry bag in and around their surroundings.
Chandrashekar Pathur said mindset of people about the use of plastic needs to be changed. Creating awareness on the ill-effects of plastics are need of the hour, he said. Jana Shikshana Trust director Sheena Shetty said Karnataka Panchayat Raj (Second amendment) Act 2015, Section 184 of Schedule 3 clearly states the role of zilla panchayat in maintaining cleanliness.The Section 145 of the Act also speaks of the role of taluk panchayats in maintaining solid waste and liquid waste units in their jurisdiction. After creating awareness, women in 5,000 households in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts no longer burn plastic carry bags. Instead, they are engaged in collecting it neatly for scientific disposal.
Zilla panchayat President Meenakshi Shanthigodu, Mangaluru Press Club president Ronald Anil Fernandes, MGNREGS ombudsman Narasimha Mogera and others were present.
Sheena Shetty said there is a proposal to lay a road at Pilikula, using the plastics collected from across the district. Waste plastic materials are being mixed with tar to lay a plastic road, Shetty said.