Waste generation has become a serious menace of the present century. A group of women have combined their efforts and helped to make a village festival eco-friendly by preventing waste generation to enter into the Chilika ecosystem.

The eco-changemakers working with 'Humara Bachpan Trust' safely disposed quintals of waste everyday while the week-long 'Paan Yatra' was organised in Deulapada village of Krushnaprasad block in Puri. The waste would have otherwise entered into the lagoon harming the ecosystem.

Every Pana Sankranti, the Yatra is celebrated in the village by 'Sri Sri Kamaleswar Deba Pana Yatra Management Committee' for seven days. Over 35,000 people have come to participate in the yatra. However, the waste generation had to be taken into concern as the ground where the festival was organised was some 200 metres away from the lake. In the absence of any proper disposal facility, the trash makes its way into the lake.

Taking actions at the right moment, the Humara Bachpan Trust this year launched a campaign titled 'Eco-Friendly Pana Yatra' and took the responsibility for waste collection during the time till the festivities will continue.

A cohort of women as 'Climate Champions' were engaged to guide the people who joined the festivity against littering and to collect waste from the area for it's safe disposal. Every single waste item was picked to keep the environment clean. The waste was then taken to a different place for composting and treatment facilities for recycling purpose.

An eco-stalk was also installed on the ground where women highlighted on the use of 'environment-friendly products' which are prepared from eco-friendly materials. The stall was installed under the guidance of divisional officers at Chilika. Awareness had to be spread with locals to segregate the waste items. Waste generation shall also converge with the goals of climatic change.

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Reference:

• newsindianexpress.com