مانس منڈل، سنگل یوز پلاسٹک کے کوڑے کو پلاسٹک بوتلز اور پلاسٹک جارز میں بھر کر سخت بنادیتے ہیں اور اسے اینٹ کے طور پر استعمال کرتے ہیں۔
بوتلوں سے بنی اینٹیں، پلاسٹک سے نجات کا ذریعہ مانس منڈل نے اس مہم میں اپنے بیٹے کو بھی شامل کیا ہے جبکہ ان کا بیٹا، پلاسٹک کے کچرے کو بوتلوں میں بھرنے میں ان کی مدد کرتا ہے۔
انہوں نے بتایا کہ ابتدائی طور پر اسکولی طلبا کو ماحول دوست پلاسٹک کی اینٹیں بنانے کےلیے راغب کیا گیا اور علاقہ کے ایک پرائمری اسکول نے اس منصوبہ پر عمل کرنا شروع کیا۔ بعدازاں اس تحریک کو مختلف دیہاتوں تک وسعت دی گئی جس کا حوصلہ افزا ردعمل دیکھا گیا۔
گاؤں والوں کے مطابق ضائع شدہ پلاسٹک کاشت کی زمین کےلیے بھی ایک بڑا خطرہ ہے۔ اس لیے اب گاؤں کے افراد بھی ایکو برکس بنانے میں اپنا تعاون پیش کر رہے ہیں۔
سب ڈیویژنل آفیسر نے سب سے پہلے اپنے دفتر کے احاطہ کو خوبصورت بنانے کےلیے ’ایکو اینٹوں‘ کا استعمال کیا اور درختوں کے اطراف دیوار کو پلاسٹک بوتلوں کی اینٹوں سے تعمیر کیا جبکہ ایکو اینٹوں سے بنی دیوار کو لوگ بیٹھنے کےلیے بھی استعمال کر رہے ہیں۔
انتظامیہ کے مطابق ہر پرائمری اسکول سے 500 تا ایک ہزار ایکو ایٹیں برآمد ہو رہی ہیں۔ برآمد کردہ اینٹوں کو عوامی مقام پر باونڈری وال تعمیر کرنے کےلیے استعمال کیا جارہا ہے۔
انتظامیہ کو امید ہے کہ اس مہم سے سنگل یوز پلاسٹک کے استعمال میں خاطر خواہ کمی واقع ہوگی۔
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Eco-Bricks of Bishnupur, a step close to reducing single-use plastic
Bishnupur (West Bengal): Bricks made out of plastic? That too, single-use plastics? Local civic authorities in West Bengal's Bishnupur district are doing just that, and the move has already generated much enthusiasm.
The initiative was first envisaged by the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) of Bishnupur in Bankura district.
The officer, Manas Mandal, tried his hands in making brick-like structures by stuffing rejected single-use plastic bags in plastic pet jar bottles.
Once the bottles were completely packed, they took a solid shape, which could later be used as bricks.
Mandal had also engaged his son in this endeavour of his. Once successful, he then gradually started spreading the word.
“Initially we tried to encourage school kids in making these eco-friendly bricks. Primary schools located in Bishnupur town were approached with the idea and they readily agreed. Gradually word was then spread outside Bishnupur, in the neighbouring villages. The response was extremely encouraging from there also,” said Mandal.
The officer had first put his eco-bricks in use while beautifying his office compound.
The trees on the compund were encircled while constructing the boundaries.
The eco-bricks have also been used to construct seating arrangements in the SDO office's common area.
How Eco-Bricks are made?
Discarded plastic pet jars and bottles keep hampering ecological balance as well as polluting the surroundings.
These discarded bottles and jars form the base of Eco-Bricks. Single-use plastic carry bags are stuffed inside these discarded bottles and the stiffened bottles eventually turn into brick-like structures.
The polybags-filled discarded plastic bottle-bricks are then used in construction.
Who makes Eco-Bricks?
Bishnupur sub-divisional administration had first started a campaign on eco-bricks among the students as well as the school education department.
The plea was to include Eco-Brick making as part of the work education curriculum.
Additional numbers were alloted for the projects and students started making the bricks.
The administration now says that the number of Eco-Bricks received from each primary school is between 500 and 1000. Once received, these Eco-Bricks are then used to construct boundary walls and other constructions at public places.
SDO Mandal also said, “Once we were successful in reaching out to schools and students in Bishnupur town, we focused on the villages. Most villages depend on agriculture and discarded plastic are a genuine threat to cultivable land. Our campaign is already paying dividends and we are receiving good number of Eco-Bricks from the village schools. We only hope that the Eco-Bricks reduce the rampant use of Single-use Plastic.”
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