Initiative to clean public places

KOCHI: The social forestry wing of the forest department launched a community environment care initiative to keep public places free of litter and garbage and to make residents play a proactive role in keeping their neighbhourhood clean.
"We hope to institutionalize this through residents' associations, neighbourhood and public-spirited groups so that we reach a stage where at least one member of each household becomes a stakeholder in keeping his or her neighbourhood clean," said B S Corrie, the principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) and head of forest force.
He said that this initiative was conducted across the state and even in all the eco-tourism spots in the periphery of forests where the Vana Samrakshana Samithis (VSS) and eco-development committees (EDCs) led the programme. There are 590 VSS/EDCs in the state.
"The activities begin with a pledge that fortifies our fundamental duty as enshrined in Article 51 A (g), which says to protect and improve the natural environment including the forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife and to have compassion for all living creatures," he added.
Among the major eco-tourism sites, these activities were conducted in Athirapally, Muthanga, Palaruvi, Shendurney, Kallar, Athirapally, Parambikulam and Silent Valley.
In the eco-tourism sites, tonnes of plastic waste and other debris were cleared away with the community participation along with the EDC and VSS members.
In Ernakulam, the forest department initiated events and collected waste thrown in the public places at Fort Kochi, Thoppumpady Old Bridge, Ernakulam girls high school as a part of the wildlife week celebrations which began on Sunday and culminates on October 8.
Around 100 persons took part in the programme and as much as 2,500 kg of waste was collected and handed over to the Kochi corporation for disposal.