This K'taka man pays school kids in exchange of plastic bottles

Every day when the school gates open at Anchatgeri village in Dharwad district of Karnataka, a man can be seen holding a bag and waiting for children to arrive. He collects plastic bottles and bags from children and gives them Rs 2 in return.

Dharwad: Every day when the school gates open at Anchatgeri village in Dharwad district of Karnataka, a man can be seen holding a bag and waiting for children to arrive. He collects plastic bottles and bags from children and gives them Rs 2 in return.

The Anchatgeri gram panchayat is probably one of the first few villages in Karnataka to have waged a battle against the use of single-use plastic.

The village was plagued by plastic cups, carry bags and bottles, thereby corrupting the community's health.

Anchatgeri Gram Panchayat President Basavaraj Bidnal, whose dream is to make his village plastic-free, has so far collected 16,000 plastic bottles from the school children.

Basavaraj, a BCom graduate says, "It was a lone battle at first as none accepted the idea of giving up plastic and many laughed at the idea of living a plastic-free life. However, I was in no mood to accept the defeat. Then I thought I could realise my dream with the help of school children."

Following this, he approached the school children and it proved to be fruitful.

"We used school children to create awareness. Though there was a poor response from the villagers initially, the participation of children changed their minds," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has felicitated Basavaraj at a function held on the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi at Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

"The collected plastic water bottles are crushed in the solid waste management plant and can be used effectively. I want to use the plastic-waste to construct roads in the village," said Basavaraj, who is being supported and appreciated by many for this noble initiative.

Basarvaj, who plans to generate revenue from waste segregation said that students from various colleges have approached him and suggested to open a plastic-bank in the village so that the disposal becomes more convenient.

Eventually, in order to curb plastic consumption, its residents have also come in support of Basarvaj to ensure that there is no plastic waste in the village.