Balrampur (Chattisgarh): As part of an initiative by the district forest department, waste plastic bottles are being recycled to plant and grow saplings at Ramanujganj nursery with help from women workers who are getting employment through this eco-friendly measure.
One of the women working at the nursery, Amarlata Minj said, "We collect the bottles from cities and bring it here. The bottles are then cut and a sapling is planted by filing it with fertile soil. Other parts of the bottle are also used."
The practice was adopted after a ban was imposed on the use of plastic and hence the used bottles were introduced to preserve and grow a sapling.
Nursery manager Lalan Sinha said, "After the administration banned polythene we have adopted this new technique in which the bottles are being brought here. They make this either at their homes or here. They cut the bottle and make two holes to pass a wire. Soil, cow dung and manure is kept in the bottle, the sapling is put in it and it is covered well."
The initiative is being promoted by the district forest officer, Pranay Mishra who says that the eco-friendly method of preserving and growing plant saplings is also becoming a source of revenue for women of the region.
Mishra, "We have prepared about 3000 such flower pots with the use of old plastic bottles. We plan to sell these plants to generate revenue for women employed in this work."
"This doesn't require any skilled labour and local women are enthusiastically taking part in it. The women are getting employment through it and we estimate that this plastic container being used for saplings will last for about two years", he added.
The women who are working as part of this initiative are paid on a daily basis.
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