Plastic bottles replace bricks for construction of Majuli Anganwadi centres

As part of project 'Kishalaya', initiated by Majuli Deputy Commissioner Bikram Kairi, the district administration has selected 100 Anganwadi centre's which are to be constructed with single-use plastic bottles instead of bricks.

Majuli (Assam):Even as the country and the world continues to battle the menace of plastic pollution while trying to figure out ways to put the burgeoning plastic waste to good use, Anganwadi centres - a rural child care centre - being constructed in Majuli district of Assam could lead the way in dealing with this problem.

As part of project 'Kishalaya', initiated by Majuli Deputy Commissioner Bikram Kairi, the district administration has selected 100 Anganwadi centre's which are to be constructed with single-use plastic bottles instead of bricks.

"I feel good about the project. This seems to be the first such construction project in Assam, but earlier, during my tenure as the SDO (Civil) of Margherita in Tinsukia district about two years ago, we had built a shed using the same technique in Margherita to keep the generators which is still intact," said Kairi.

Elaborating on similar initiatives being taken around the world, the young IAS officer said, "We have seen such constructions taking place in Philippines, African countries, and even in South American countries. In India, Karnataka, and other South Indian states have used the same technique."

The first Anganwadi Centre to be constructed under this unique project is the one that is being constructed at a cost of around Rs. 80,000 at Kakorikota Pabana village under Silakala Gaon Panchayat in the world's largest river island, and the foundation stone for the same was laid by Kairi on December 25, 2019.

In the first phase of Kishalaya, 45 Anganwadi Centres will be taken up for construction, out of which work for four such centre's has already begun.

The local residents of the Barhmaputra island have equally participated in the project while praising the initiative.

"Instead of throwing away plastic, if you collect it and put it to good use, it not only reduces pollution but also may help you in constructing something," said a local resident of Majuli.

Given the scale of the project, lakhs of single-use plastic bottles will be required to carry out the construction work, and the task to collect the 'raw material' - plastic bottles - has been given to the West Kakorikota Indira Women Society and village Self-Help Group's who will be provided financial aid for the same.