Seeing is Believing: Zero Waste Kanyakumari

By Bhavani Prakash
Shores of Kanyakumari District

Shores of Kanyakumari District

In a previous blog, we had featured Madavi Nathan Oliver’s observations on the Plastics Free Kanyakumari (PFKK) campaign in the district of Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, India. The campaign spearheaded by the District Collector (DC), Rajendra Ratnoo includes banning of single use plastic bags, and is progressing towards a Zero Waste Kanyakumari through a responsible handling of solid household waste as a next step. The DC is an office comparable to the Mayor of a city or a group of towns/villages.

When DC Rajendra Ratnoo invited me to participate in the campaign during my recent trip to India, I was more than keen to see this with my own eyes and contribute in any way possible. Though many parts of India such as Ooty, Sikkim, Mysore, Dharmasala, Mumbai and Delhi have a ban on the handing out of single use plastic bags, litter on the streets and solid waste management continue to be major issues in India. A ban on single use plastic bags is only the first step. Behaviour change can only be brought about by a well thought out waste management strategy and crucially in its implementation.

A VISIBLY NEATER DISTRICT



KK StationKanyakumari is about a twelve hour train ride away from Chennai, the state capital of Tamil Nadu. One of the most glaring sights from compartments as trains meander in and out of railway stations in India, is the plastic litter heaped up in towns. Even bushes and grasses in the otherwise picturesque countryside can’t seem to escape from the ubiquitous plastic.

Nagercoil (the district headquarters of Kanyakumari) was a pleasant surprise with neatly swept platforms and the near absence of litter. But for the odd plastic or paper cup on the tracks, the cleanliness was indeed a stark contrast to the rest of the train journey. As we inched forward towards the last stop of Kanyakumari (the southernmost town of India which shares the same name as the district), I was literally counting the odd litter lying around. Clearly the stoppage of plastic bags had made a difference.
KK countrysideTraversing through many parts of Kanyakumari over the next couple of days however, one can’t say that the district is entirely litter free. I found a lot of it in the form of paper cups and random paper and plastic waste along the busier commercial streets of Nagercoil, but the quantum of visible waste on the streets was considerably less compared to many parts of Chennai and its outskirts with similar populations, where there is no ban on plastic bags or any waste management campaign in place. The beautiful countryside beyond the towns of Kanyakumari district was much cleaner. It was an utter delight to travel through the pastoral landscape carved by lush paddy fields, banana plantations and palm and coconut groves.

ENFORCEMENT

It is against the law in the district to use any single use or throw-away plastic items like carry bags and cups. Anyone found carrying a plastic bag can be slapped a fine of Rs 100 by the authorities. Shops that provided or sold plastic bags or disposable plastic cups can be made to pay higher fines, have their materials seized and even be shut down for non-compliance.
Shops at Kanyakumari town


I tested a few shopkeepers in Kanyakumari town. “Who wants to pay Rs 5000 as fine?” said one near the famous Kanyakumari Amman temple which is built close to the spot where the three great seas merge – the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal. I bought a shirt from another shop and it was promptly packed in newspaper and jute string. Likewise, a statue carved on a coconut shell which I picked up in the town. Enforcement was certainly showing positive effects. As for measurable results, the DC told me that the production of single use plastic bags in the district had come down to near zero.
Will litter on the streets reduce with enforcement?




As of September 1, 2010, the fines are going to be stricter. Anyone found littering will be fined Rs 100 for the first offence, Rs 1000 for the second and Rs 10,000 for the third time. Subsequent offences are liable for prosecution and imprisonment. With this it is hoped that the visible litter on the streets will considerably reduce too.

EDUCATION, EMPOWERMENT AND ENERGISING

Enforcement though critical, cannot by itself ensure the success of a behaviour change program. It requires strong leadership, clear objectives, sustained education and training of local leaders and the masses to make a big difference.

After spending several hours with the DC, accompanying him to meetings and talking to him, I could definitely perceive sincerity, focus and passion towards the cause of achieving zero waste – the kind of energy that one normally doesn’t associate with Indian bureaucracy.

Kanyakumari consists of 1,057 rural habitations, 56 Town Panchayats or Councils and 4 municipalities. The DC has scheduled regular awareness building and training programmes with local leaders on an ongoing basis.
DC Rajendra Ratnoo at Erachakulam



DC Rajendra Ratnoo at Erachakulam

I had the opportunity to take part in two such meetings. One was with women leaders at Thovalai Taluk and the other at Erachakulam with town and village Panchayat or council leaders. At both meetings, the DC thanked the participants for the success of the plastic bag free program so far, and asked for continued support. The meetings served as an introduction to solid waste management which will be the next major leg of the campaign. I talked about simple methods for composting of kitchen waste and Kowsalya Devi, a key resource volunteer with the PFKK team spoke about separation of hazardous waste, such as paints, batteries, compact fluorescent bulbs, medicines, cosmetics and pesticides which tend to contaminate water and soils.

Each meeting ended with the DC asking the participants to visualize a clean and green Kanyakumari followed by affirmations for being a responsible and conscious citizen of the district, by avowing to abstain from plastic bag usage and committing to segregrating household waste.

Ongoing grassroot level training will continue at regular intervals to ensure that this reaches every single household. The next leg of the campaign involves educating trainers – one each for about 200 households and master trainers to train the trainers.

A clearly written guide or pamphlet will be circulated to each household in the district on how to segregate waste into Makkum Kuppai (degradable waste such as vegetable and fruit waste, cooked food, paper, eggshells, coffee and tea grinds) and Makkadha Kuppai( non-degradable waste such as plastics, metals, e-waste, glass, and hazardous waste). Households will be trained to compost the degradable waste. Maximum efforts will be made to recycle the non-degradable waste collected from households. Only the remainder will be sent to the landfill or the incinerator. Proper waste manangement will have a long term positive impact on the soil and water of the region.

GARNERNING VISIBILITY AND RESOURCES

The campaign has a very visible face. It is very easy to spot the various placards throughout the district, particularly in Kanyakumari town, exhorting the public to say, “No to Plastic.” The campaign is attracting media attention from regional and national dailies like “The Hindu” and Kumudam, a popular Tamil magazine among others. Overseas websites such as Lokvani.com and ours are featuring the ongoing campaign.

Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, former President of India


Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam , the former President of India visited Nagercoil recently and he acknowledged the PFKK campaign in his speech at a local school.

This is the first time a sustained and comprehensive campaign for a waste management program in India is using multiple platforms – radio, television, newspapers and social media. In particular, social media such as the Facebook Fan Page, “Plastic Free Kanyakumari” (PFKK) has been an excellent way to build up the knowledge base for the campaign, as well as to connect volunteers.

PFKK logo





Why is visibility important?
It serves as a morale booster for the volunteers and residents of the district to know they are part of a meaningful movement. It also ensures transparency of the program, so everyone can monitor the progress of the campaign and see the ongoing developments for themselves. Most important of all, it enables the campaign become an important case study for other regions of the country, and even other developing countries to follow.


PLASTICS FREE TO ZERO WASTE KANYAKUMARI – Opportunites and Challenges
The path towards Zero Waste Kanyakumari will certainly create many new avenues for green employment. Entrepreneurs can engage in recycling or downcycling of plastic into new plastic raw material. Upcycling opportunities exist to convert plastic materials into new products such as bags, belts, purses and other premium products which can even be exported. There is already new supply replacing single-use plastic carry bags by manufacturers of multi-use polypropylene, canvas and cloth bags.




Training for recycling paper

The district wide encouragement of composting will create a demand for composting pots from terracotta or earthenware, an eco-friendly and biodegradable container for the purpose. Economic opportunities will arise for self-help groups who choose to collect compost from households to consolidate and market the compost.

Opportunities for creating a new recycled paper industry can be explored for papers such as newspapers invoices, used school notebooks and diaries, used calendars, which are not otherwise used for packaging. New crafts from papier mache using recycled paper has the potential to create new jobs.

Some of the challenges observed are outlined here. Efforts are being made to address them:

* Non-recyclable and non-degradable waste continue to be partially landfilled and partially incinerated. The DC acknowledges this is not the ideal solution but it is a necessary transition phase. The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) has approved co-incineration in Cement Kilns at more than 1,400 degree Celsius to get rid of toxins

* The details of waste segregation have yet to be ironed out – to find an economical way to help waste collectors pick up households’ segregated waste. One option is through self help groups or waste collectors who pay households for the recylable waste, and ensure the wet waste reaches a more centralised biogas unit.

* The alternatives to plastic entail continuous monitoring and feedback. Some shops are working around the system by giving thin polypropylene bags that look similar to the old carry bags. Even though they are not “plastic,” these bags are petroleum based, and are not designed for multiple number of uses, and may tear after one or two usages. Going forward a minimum thickness should be specified for polypropylene bags, so they may be used for several times, before sent for recycling

* Paper cups are seen as alternatives, but as the DC pointed out, there is a thin non-separable waterproof plastic coating, making the cups non-biodegradable. Also single use cups tend to be thrown away and littered outside shops, so behaviour change in terms of littering is important, and this may come about with the new regulations against littering

Perhaps the most important challenge is the institutionalisation of this campaign which the DC himself is working hard at accomplishing. DCs cannot continue in their roles perpetually in any district and will have to move on to new roles. The momentum that has been created has to be sustained for the coming years if the vision of Zero Waste Kanyakumari is to be achieved. This is critical for the district and if it has to serve as a role model for the rest of the nation.

FUTURE STEPS:

The campaign has been moving quickly focussing on one key step at a time – first the ban of single use plastic and next the segregation of household waste into biodegradable and non-biodegradable matter. If the entire waste cycle is to be closed, the campaign will one day have to encompass all kinds of upstream industry and commercial wastes in addition to household waste.

The campaign is currently supporting the spread of organic farming as well and this is an area where a lot of future attention will be directed. I attended a meeting with the Organic Farmers Association and Vermicomposting Association in Nagercoil, where it was useful to listen to the feedback given by the farmers about the methods they use and challenges they face. The DC has pencilled in regular interaction with them – something that will give them a sense of being listened to, and offer them a forum to find solutions to their various problems.


nardepIn this context, I also had the opportunity to visit the Nagercoil branch of the Vivekananda Kendra, a non-profit organisation which among other activities, has been doing several decades of research on organic farming and renewable energies in a local context. NARDEP, Vivekananda Kendra’s arm involved in sustainable development have been training farmers all over the country on organic farming techniques. It was very heartening to see a movement towards relearning and rediscovering ancient and inherited knowledge of the lands, while incorporating new, sustainable technologies.


CONCLUSION:
Local leaders being trained


What is commendable is that a remote district of Southern India has been able to accomplish far more than the bigger metropolitan cities of the country in terms of taking concrete action on waste management. If I had to talk of one impressionable moment from the visit, it was when a local panchayat (council) leader came up to me and Kowsalya Devi after the meeting. With great enthusiasm, he invited us to come to his village to teach his people how to manage their waste. There is much eagerness to learn, and local leadership to be nurtured.

Effective leadership is critical for any behaviour change program – we are seeing the positive effects of this already. If this permeates to create and unite leaders throughout the district at all levels, the common objective of a cleaner and greener Kanyakumari has the potential of being realised speedily – for the wellbeing of the population and for future generations.
Further links you may be interested in:

Photo courtesy: The beautiful photos of Kanyakumari’s landscapes have been taken by Ramesh Amala Srinivasan.

***************************************************************************************************************************
KK paddy fields



Kanyakumari is a rustic and beautiful place, with a variety of magnificient landscapes - rolling mountains, verdant plains and serene beaches. At the southern tip of the Western Ghats range - one of the two major biological hotspots in India other than the Himalayas, it is also a place of historical interest.

I have been fortunate to visit areas of immense natural beauty that have simply taken my breath away. May this wonderful district remain pristine and clean for all.

Many thanks to all those who made this trip really memorable and friends I’ve connected with. My personal wishes for a successful campaign:

DC Rajendra Ratnoo, Kowsalya Devi, Samson Edwards (and his intrepid 5 year old, Smith), Kumar Mullakkal, Suhithar Baus, Madavi Nathan Oliver, Gaugarin Oliver, Swaroop Thampy, Ramesh Amala Srinivasan, Joe Winston, Timothy Charles, Dr. Devaprasath Jeyasekharan, Parveen Mathew, Mr. Jeyaperimbakumar, Muthukumar Isha, Kumaran Appuchami and Mr. Kirupananda Rajan (And sincere apologies if I’ve missed out anyone)
Sorce:ecowalkthetalk.com

Ban on plastic items below 20 microns

Ban on plastic items below 20 microns


Resolution

passed in the Nagercoil Municipal Council meeting

Nagercoil: The Municipal Council has decided not to allow use of plastic items under 20 microns and those violating this decision will be slapped a fine of Rs.5,000.

A resolution to this effect would adopted at the council meeting to be held here on Thursday.

According to the Chairman of the Municipal Council, Ashokan Solomon, the district administration had decided to make Kanyakumari a ‘plastic-free district’ from April 1.

All non-degradable waste would be transported to India Cements to be used as fuel.
Use eco-friendly paper bags

Collector Rajendra Ratnoo directed all the local bodies to pass a resolution not to use plastic items with in their limit. Instead of using plastic items, he directed the local bodies to explore ways and means to manufacture paper bags, which was eco-friendly and free from any kind of pollution.

The Nagercoil Municipal Council has banned the use of plastic bags, carry bags and other plastic materials used in hotels and other commercial establishments. No body could sell non-degradable plastic items within the town limits.

A fine of Rs.1000 would be collected from whole sale merchants, Rs.500 from retail merchants and Rs.100 from those who use non-degradable plastics and Rs.25 from individuals.
source:Hindu

Kanyakumari to become plastic- free district

Kanyakumari to become plastic- free district



Within two months, says District Collector Rajendra Ratnoo



ON ENVIRONMENT: Kanyakumari District Collector Rajendra Ratnoo interacting with sanitary workers.

NAGERCOIL:Kanyakumari would be declared as plastic free district within two months.

So, solid waste management committees were set up in six tourist places to create awareness among the people to prevent use of plastics and segregation of non-recyclable plastics in their areas, said the Collector, Rajendra Ratnoo.

Inaugurating an awareness rally at Kanyakumari on Thursday, he said that five-member committee had been formed in all wards of Nagercoil and Padmanabhapuram municipalities, Kanyakumari, Suchindurum and Thirparappu town panchayats and Vellancode village panchayat in Chitaral.

Around 1.20 lakh tonnes of solid waste was being generated every day in India.
Co-fuel

In Kanyakumari district, 1,000 to 1,500 kg of non-recyclable waste was being generated every day. Non-recyclable plastic was first used as a co-fuel in Associated Cement Company at Kymore in Madhya Pradesh in March 2008. Based on the success story, it has been decided to use non-recyclable waste from Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts as co-fuel in India Cements at Thazayuthu in Tirunelveli district. Under co-processing of plastic waste in cement kiln programme, it has been decided to collect five tonnes of plastic waste from these districts every day and use as a co-fuel in India Cements. The authorities could save one per cent of the total fuel used in the factory by burning non-recyclable waste.
Eco-friendly

This was an eco-friendly fuel. The Assistant Engineer of Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, P.Kirubanantha Rajan, said that the solid waste management committees would ensure to convert the district in to plastic free in the next two months.

Rally

A massive awareness rally would be conducted at five places in Nagercoil on November 9.
Competition

The Chief Education Officer has requested to conduct slogan writing competition to stress the need to create awareness on preventing use of non-recyclable plastics in all schools through out the district and the District Collector would distribute prizes to the winners in December.

He also sought the co-operation of the people for the successful implementation of the programme with an ultimate aim to declare Kanyakumari as plastic free district.
source:www.hindu.com

Nagercoil bids adieu to plastic


Nagercoil bids adieu to plastic

Lallu Joseph


I have always been proud of my hometown, Nagercoil, and loved visiting it. In my view, Kanyakumari district, whose headquarters is Nagercoil, is definitely one of the most beautiful places in Tamil Nadu, nay India. Its rolling hills, pristine beaches, lush green paddy fields, mystic forests, serene plantations, marvellous small dams, breathtaking forts, sparkling ponds with colourful lotus floating, majestic waterfalls and exotic migratory birds make it a paradise on Earth.

Though Kanyakumari is featured in the tourism map from time immemorial, the picturesque regions of the district remained unexplored till recently with visitors soaking themselves in the grandeur of Kanyakumari and returning home unaware of the hidden splendour in the interior parts. But a sudden influx of tourists into other places in recent years saw plastic and the litter piling up, offering an eyesore.

When I visited Kanyakumari in May 2009, I was upset on seeing plastic all over the beach that is famous for its multi-coloured sand. We went to the shore at 10 pm and found the sight so repulsive that I decided not to visit Kanyakumari again. The thought that future generations would not get a chance to enjoy the beauty of the place appalled me.

But a delightful surprise was in store for me a few weeks back when I went to Nagercoil to see my parents and also drop my children at their grandparent’s house for the summer vacation. On the way to a relative’s place, I stopped at a fruit shop. The shopkeeper packed the grapes in paper with lotus leaf and handed it over to me as such without putting it in the customary plastic bag. When I asked for a plastic carry bag, the shopkeeper told me that the use of plastic is banned in Nagercoil.

I was still sceptical as to how the ban would work. Maybe, because the shop was bang outside the collector’s office, the man was adhering to the order, I thought. But all my subsequent shopping expeditions revealed that plastic covers have indeed been banished from the town. Even more surprising was the fact that my mother and all my aunts had cloth bags in their cars, and no one was complaining about the ban or on the need to carry their own bags for shopping.

I visited a hospital and was pleased to see ‘No Plastic’ banners in the campus. Small, but clearly visible, stickers were in all the auto rickshaws on a ‘no plastic’ drive. Prominent posters were put up outside school campuses announcing that the school premises is a plastic-free zone. Coffee and tea were served in paper cups at the roadside shops.

I became curious and started making enquiries. Everyone had good things to say about the efforts of the district administration. I was told that the district collector went in person to the business houses and convinced them on the need for banning plastic. The administration sent short messages on mobile phones highlighting the ban on non-degradable plastic items. Once the ban came into force, the administration formed 94 flying squads and raided shops, hotels and other commercial establishments to check on the use of non-biodegradable items.

But I still had a nagging doubt. So I drove down to Kanyakumari and was thrilled to see the change — not a single plastic bag on the shore. Now I am dreaming of my next trip to Kanyakumari. I want to sit on the multi-hued sands on a star-lit night and devour the beauty of the place.

source:expressbuzz.com

Kanyakumari Eco Friendly For Tourists

Kanyakumari Eco Friendly For Tourists
Kanyakumari will also turn eco-friendly from April onwards when the ban on using plastics with less than 20 microns comes into effect


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRLog (Press Release) – Mar 23, 2010 – A visit to Kanyakumari is almost always synonymous with watching the sunrise at the Vivekananda Rock. But visitors will soon have a lot more to do at the southernmost tip of India - be it trekking, bird-watching or even bungee jumping.

The district administration is all set to woo more tourists with the added attractions of adventure and ecotourism.

"Along with the National Adventure Foundation and Friends of Nature, we plan to promote adventure and ecotourism here," District Collector Rajendra Ratnoo told IANS.

For years, tourists have mainly come to Kanyakumari to see the sunrise at the Bay of Bengal from the Vivekananda Rock, around 200 metres from the shore. Spiritual leader Swami Vivekananda is said to have sat in meditation on this rock for two days.

Apart from the rock, the other places visitors opt to see are the 133-foot statue of Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar, the Bhagavathi Amman temple, the Pechiparai Dam and St.Xavier's Church.

With the administration's new adventurous plans, there will be more to Kanyakumari than its religious and spiritual side.

"We are looking at trekking, rock climbing and bungee jumping activities with technical inputs from the National Adventure Foundation. A meeting with them is slated this month. We, however, do not want unregulated adventure tourism," Ratnoo said.

According to the official, ecotourism is also another area of interest and the Friends of Nature group would help pitch in. And they are looking at special packages for school students and corporates as well.

"We will be targeting schools and corporates for our ecotourism packages," Ratnoo said.

Last month the district administration organised a two-day bird-watching event in which around 300 people participated.

"Seventeen varieties of migratory birds like pelican, flamingo, spoonbill and varieties of ducks come to Kanyakumari. We had some ornithologists to educate and help the tourists. We plan to make the event a regular feature," Ratnoo said.

Kanyakumari will also turn eco-friendly from April onwards when the ban on using plastics with less than 20 microns comes into effect.
http://www.travelchacha.com/cities/tamilnadu/kanyakumari ...
Ratnoo said the the district administration was open to the idea of joining hands with the state tourism department to promote Kanyakumari as a tourist destination complete with the new options available for holidayers.

source:www.prlog.org

Big Change Can Start Small

Big Change Can Start Small
Madavi Nathan Oliver
06/10/2010




It is more than a year since I came from US for my sabbatical in India. It is mango season now and I stop at the fruit vendor on KP road. I buy a kilo of mangoes, a dozen oranges and half a kilo of green grapes. The vendor weighs the fruits, packs it and hands it to me. I am pleasantly surprised. It is nicely packed as usual, but the surprise is that it’s packed the “green way” – in used newspaper with a channall (thin coir thread) holding it together. Last year this time when I bought fruits from the same vendor he packed each fruit type in a plastic bag and then put all 3 plastic bags in another big plastic bag. What a difference - and no inconvenience at all. It occurred to me that this is even better than the, “Would you like to pack it in plastic or paper, mam” option they give at grocery stores in USA. I became very curious and came to know that the change is all courtesy of the “Quit Plastics - Save the Earth” campaign led by the District Collector, with support from local elected leaders and the administration in Kanyakumari District. The background of this successful program is an inspiring story and a case study on how to effect change.


First, a bit about the place - Kanyakumari District is the smallest district in Tamil Nadu, India and Nagercoil where I have been living for the past year, is the district headquarters. Located at the southernmost tip of peninsular India, it is a beautiful beach destination and lies at the confluence of three water bodies – Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea. Referred to by the British as Cape Comorin, Kanyakumari has been named after the Goddess Kanyakumari Amman. It was part of Travancore for a long time before it merged with Tami Nadu. A visitor to Kanyakumari has many interesting places to choose from – temples, beaches and historic sites. Well, this beautiful location is also victim to plastic and other pollutants.

Eager to find out more about how they succeeded in stopping the use of plastic bags, I met with the man behind the movement, Shri. Rajendra Ratnoo, IAS – District Collector Kanyakumari district, to learn about all the efforts which went behind the scenes . Let me tell you it’s no easy task to change this practice of using plastic bags we have carelessly gotten ourselves into. I also interviewed multiple shop owners and ordinary citizens. The ban and enforcement went into effect on April 1st 2010 after several months of the popular “quit plastics” campaign planning. It was an official ban on using plastic bags and cups. However, in my opinion, the key words for success here are: Educate, Empower, Energize and Enforce.

Educate: They didn’t just say, “Quit Plastics.” Think about it. If you are unaware that there is a problem then you wouldn’t think of fixing it. The campaign first aimed at making the public conscious of the ill effects of using non degradable plastic products. They focused on plastic bags and cups. They trained people on how to quit the habit. They held numerous public seminars, provided tips (for example, always keep a carry bag in the vehicle) and exhibitions of alternatives. For both the awareness and training part of the campaign they involved people at the grass roots level - traders associations – of kaikari vyabarikal (vegetable vendors), erachi kadais (butchers), kalyanan mandaabams (wedding halls), grocery stores and even sanitary workers. They got the buy in of electorate reps, ward members, panchayat leaders, schools and college principals, religious leaders, collectorate and district level officers. The process used multiple channels of communications – FM radio, print, TV, interpersonal communication, text messages, communications through schools, colleges and religious media. Within a week people got into the mode of “BYOB”!!! (Bring Your Own Bag). Cloth bags, net bags, canvas bags, baskets- and hurrah! No plastic bags in sight! Vendors figured out innovative ways of packaging their goods in easy to carry, neat looking newspaper parcels. Takeaways in hotels used banana leaves for dosais and tin foil bags for liquid gravies. Butchers used lotus leaves to pack meat.


The positive message about the campaign has very successfully reached the commoners. It was heartening to hear many of them say, “Bhoomikku romba nallathu amma” (Good for the earth mam). For example, our newspaper delivery man knew about it and he felt that the roads are much cleaner. He also commented that it is actually a profitable scheme for shopkeepers, elaborating that previously people used to take plastic bags even if they just purchased one or two small items, which they now carry without a plastic bag. Interested parties have even setup an effective facebook page to share and discuss. Join as a fan at “Plastics free Kanyakumari”

Empower: A resolution was passed in local bodies (consisting of 1,057 rural habitations, 56 Town Panchayats and 4 Municipalities) throughout the district not to use throw away plastic items. Authorities were empowered to impose a fine of 100 rupees to anyone found carrying a plastic bag. Shops that provide or sell plastic bags are subject to higher fines, seizure of materials and even shut down for non-compliance. The administration also empowered a few local entrepreneurs to provide alternative solutions to plastic bags and cups. Local companies started producing fiber bags and paper cups to supply to the shops.

I recall a situation when I went to the local super market and “oops I didn’t bring my own bag..” But the store was better prepared. They sold cloth bags which look like fancy versions of the manjal thambula pais (the yellow bags they give out as favors in Indian weddings). They come in different sizes, starting at 3 rupees per bag. I bought 2 bags - nice orange and green ones. I still use them, and hope to proudly take them to shops in the USA as well!!

Energize: A unique feature of this campaign is the “practice before you preach” methodology. The collector himself led the effort. He and his family first stopped using plastics, followed by the entire staff at the Collector office and other district level officers. Then it trickled down to leaders, opinion makers, electorate reps, ward members, panchayat officers, and sanitary workers. The collector was visibly present, often sporting a green shirt, at numerous meetings and training sessions. He secured the firm support of the Minister, Member of Parliament and other elected officials from Kanyakumari district. His enthusiasm was present online as well. He was quick to respond to blogs and other online chatter on the matter. These are all a refreshing experience for the public and unusual in India. This infectious energy from the top down made the public and the vendors extend their cooperation.

There are many examples that demonstrate the energy and enthusiasm about the program. Employees of a local company RedEgg InfoExpert, used the ban plastics theme in their fashion parade competition to promote the idea. A local bakery, Cake World, displays a prominent sign advocating the benefits of not using plastics. Vegetable vendor Vincent proudly sells a cloth bag with his own branding. The owner of Eden Pharmacy says that most tablets and small medicine bottles have always been packed in a brown covers. Before they used to put this brown cover in a plastic bag, and now they don’t. Since the ban went into effect, they bought 50 cloth bags to keep as a backup. But, they have had to only give out 5-6 in the past 2 months. Most people bring their own bags nowadays. He also cautioned that the most important thing is to keep checking, since people slowly slack off and sneak these bags back into use.

Enforce: The enforcement started on the pre-announced day of April 1st, 2010. Even the enforcement approach is unique. While the threat of a 100 rupee fine keeps the commoner from using a plastic bag, the Collector’s philosophy again is thoughtful. He tells his squad, “It’s not about how many miscreants you find, but how many you check for”. He encourages with a pat on the back for the good, seizure and closure of the non conformers. I learned that he himself was present in person at businesses and convinced them on the merits of the program. They used short messages on mobile phones to quickly communicate about the ban. They formed 94 flying squads and inspected shops, hotels and other commercial establishments to check on the use of plastics. These surprise inspections go on even now.

The administration is also very swift to act. A few days ago a local branch of a major retailer chain was still packing groceries in plastic bags. Within hours of this incident being reported via facebook, the district officials including the SDM & RDO Nagercoil, along with Commissioner, Municipal Administration, and Pollution Control Board Officials inspected the premises. They seized 82.59 kg of plastic carry bags and cups. The department store was also locked down until they complied with the regulations. Again, something you don’t see your typical administration execute so well in India. Many kudos to Kanyakumari!!

In some ways, it is a déjà vu of my childhood days. If you rewind history, not using plastics is not new to India. During my childhood in the 60s, Mom used to (always) take a basket to market, a tiffin box to buy mutton, “thuni pai (cloth bag)” for groceries. There has always been a green movement in India. It is weaved into the culture of saving, reusing and saving more. Do you remember the paper guy calling out “palzhaya paperu!!” (old papers) and how we sold our end of year school notebooks, old text books, magazines and newspapers to him? And the person who buys glass bottles and even people who buy old clothes you wish to dispose and give you some “ever silver” (stainless steel) vessels in return. Recall us using every part of a coconut or banana tree and burning off dry leaf waste. People used to put eggshells as manure for their rose plants. I would be wrong if I said no one does these things any more. It’s just that less people do it in these modern times. Unknowingly we have shifted towards consumerism and waste production. As our lifestyles have changed we have also changed. We just need to go back to our roots.

I had to make changes in my own home. No plastic bags to line the waste bucket – what to do? Solution - compost the green matter, save the paper, bottles and other recyclable goods to resell, dispose and wash the bin everyday - there is less trash anyway. And just for fun, we decided to wash and save the eggs shells to make a mosaic . Set your own date to quit using plastic bags. But do it before it’s too late to turn back. You don’t have to live in the Kanyakumari district to do it. Do it anywhere in the world. All you have to do is carry a bag or two in your vehicle. And when you visit from the USA buy a few reusable bags and give them as gifts to the folks you visit in India. And make sure you make a stand. You can do your part by saying no to - one plastic bag at a time.

To find some pictures of everyday people “saying no to plastics” visit http://picasaweb.google.co.in/madavioliver/QuitPlasticsLikeThem#

Kanyakumari gets more adventurous for tourists

Kanyakumari (Tamil Nadu), March 14 : A visit to Kanyakumari is almost always synonymous with watching the sunrise at the Vivekananda Rock. But visitors will soon have a lot more to do at the southernmost tip of India - be it trekking, bird-watching or even bungee jumping.

The district administration is all set to woo more tourists with the added attractions of adventure and ecotourism.

"Along with the National Adventure Foundation and Friends of Nature, we plan to promote adventure and ecotourism here," District Collector Rajendra Ratnoo told IANS.

For years, tourists have mainly come to Kanyakumari to see the sunrise at the Bay of Bengal from the Vivekananda Rock, around 200 metres from the shore. Spiritual leader Swami Vivekananda is said to have sat in meditation on this rock for two days.

Apart from the rock, the other places visitors opt to see are the 133-foot statue of Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar, the Bhagavathi Amman temple, the Pechiparai Dam and St.Xavier's Church.

With the administration's new adventurous plans, there will be more to Kanyakumari than its religious and spiritual side.

"We are looking at trekking, rock climbing and bungee jumping activities with technical inputs from the National Adventure Foundation. A meeting with them is slated this month. We, however, do not want unregulated adventure tourism," Ratnoo said.

According to the official, ecotourism is also another area of interest and the Friends of Nature group would help pitch in. And they are looking at special packages for school students and corporates as well.

"We will be targeting schools and corporates for our ecotourism packages," Ratnoo said.

Last month the district administration organised a two-day bird-watching event in which around 300 people participated.

"Seventeen varieties of migratory birds like pelican, flamingo, spoonbill and varieties of ducks come to Kanyakumari. We had some ornithologists to educate and help the tourists. We plan to make the event a regular feature," Ratnoo said.

Kanyakumari will also turn eco-friendly from April onwards when the ban on using plastics with less than 20 microns comes into effect.

Ratnoo said the the district administration was open to the idea of joining hands with the state tourism department to promote Kanyakumari as a tourist destination complete with the new options available for holidayers.

source ;www.newkerala.com

Kanyakumari dist plastic free

Tiruchirappalli (TN),May3: Kanyakumari district authorities have claimed success in making the tourist haven plastic-free from April one this year.

All four municipalities,56 town Panchayats, 99 village Panchayats have not only passed laws prohibiting use of low grade plastics and plastic articles but are observing it from April 1 this year,District Collector Rajendra Ratnoo told PTI.

The Green Kanyakumari Plan and war against plastics was launched M K Stalin, Deputy Chief Minister on December 2 last year. Sensitization of people and all stakeholders to bring about change in their attitude and then triggering off behavioural changes was the main strategy, he said.

Local political leaders also took part in meetings to stress the need for keeping the environs clean and ban use of plastics. To enlist the support of the NGOs and local leaders the Friends of Nature Society of Kanyakumari which was dormant for sometime was revived.

What made the programme a success was also the assurance that low quality plastic packaging materials would be substituted with jute or paper bags.

All local bodies in the district passed resolutions banning the use of plastics as mentioned under the Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules promulgated almost a decade ago and on eve of Pongal festival (in January) it was announced that the ban would come into force from April 1 2010.

About 100 special squads were formed to ensure that plastics were not used as a packaging material after April 1.

Fine for violation was Rs.50 for the user, Rs.500 for the shopkeeper and Rs.1,000 for the sellers of plastic carry bags.

The adherence to the ban on plastic was spontaneous and overwhelming, sources claimed. All sections of society switched over to alternate packaging materials wholeheartedly swiftly and smoothly,they said. The authorities had to book just 15 cases for rpt for violation of rules in the district.

The District merchants association has hailed the move and appealed to all traders to ban plastic in their business. - Agencies
May 03, 2010

Source:news.chennaionline.com

Remitha Satheesh lauds Rajendra Ratnoo for making Kanyakumari green and clean

KOCHU VARTHAMANAM: One Small District, One Helluva Message
Remitha Satheesh lauds Rajendra Ratnoo for making Kanyakumari green and clean
On Jun 04, 2010


Dear Ananthapuri,

Lots of discount sales and shopping melas going on in the city? Done a lot of shopping lately? Walking back home loaded with carry bags full of newly purchased stuff? Stop a while and take a nice long look at that carry bag in your hands. If it’s made of paper or jute, don’t stop, just carry on with whatever you were doing. On the other hand, if it is plastic, ponder a while.

Have any idea where that bag is bound for, once you dump it? It’s headed one of two ways. Either to clog up the earth’s bowels in some landfill or the bowels of a hapless sea turtle that munches on it mistaking the bag for its favorite snack of jellyfish. Either way, it’s on its way to choke up the very life system of the planet. Makes you feel good about yourself, doesn’t it?

You are not done looking. Now, look a little to your south, just beyond Parassala, just across the border. Something major is underway with your neighbours down south; something so revolutionary and inspiring that the whole world could take a leaf out of one small district’s book.

The entire Kanyakumari district, all 1057 rural habitations, 56 Town Panchayats and 4 Municipalities of it has bid goodbye to plastic carry bags and plastic cups. Goodbye? "Good riddance", I say, to bad rubbish - rubbish of the non biodegradable kind that rightfully ought to be classified as WMD. They have gone one step ahead of the Himachal Pradesh government which heavily fines anyone carrying plastic bags, and have totally banned the vile things.

So how did they manage it? All credit goes to one particular gentleman from Rajasthan - Shri. Rajendra Ratnoo, the District Collector. It was no easy task to have launched a massive 6 month long campaign on a war footing to create awareness and bring about behavioral changes in all stakeholders and aim at an enforcement date of April 1st. The operation which included a virtual media blitzkrieg was so well planned that he could have given any old Roman General a run for his sestertii.

Mr. Ratnoo led by example and it was his family which first gave up the use of plastic bags. He soon converted the entire collectorate staff, district officers, other leaders and opinion makers, and slowly worked down to the grass roots level.

And the result? Take a trip to Kanyakumari and you'll find that those old fashioned ‘manja sanjis’, and jute bags are suddenly the height of cool again. No more plastic bags clog up drains and sewage systems to cause stagnant water problems, and the rain water that is harvested enjoys an obstacle free run to wherever it is being pooled. Buying something that might drip? No worries. Banana leaves and lotus leaves can take care of that problem. And you will find no more of plastic bags or cups swept over the sands by the wind at the country’s end.

What? You say there are piles of rotting garbage still around? Hold on, our man at the helm of the district is not done yet. He has other plans up his sleeve too. Next project is ‘Zero Garbage Kanyakumari’ and he is gunning for July 1st. It is an operation for waste segregation and decentralized composting wherever possible and a move to stop the pollution of water bodies. Violators are in danger of being prosecuted as criminals.

With Mr. Ratnoo, you know it is not just talk and a lot of hot air. The man will get it done. Come July 1st and Kanyakumari district will not only be green, but it will be clean too.

And how do people react to this radical change? People are welcoming it quite enthusiastically. Well, at least most of them are. Especially youngsters who have suddenly discovered a man they can actually look up to and get inspired to follow. Here is a man who actually delivers the goods. One just wishes there were more bureaucrats like him. Men like him give me hope, that all is well and that the world can be brought back from the brink of disaster where it teeters capriciously now. A hopeful message indeed for World Environment Day on June 5th.

Not surprising that something like this happened here because, the place is also home to another environmentalist, a man whose single minded efforts led to the conversion of a barren hill near Chunkankadai into 40 hectares of lush greenery housing more than 40,000 trees, with the active involvement of hundreds of school and college kids.

Now the tiny district, the only 100% literate district in the state of Tamil Nadu has another ‘only’ to add to its curriculum vitae as the 'only’ district in the entire country, probably the world, to totally ban the use of plastic bags and cups. Has the new law in California to ban one time use plastic bags been inspired by the movement in Kanyakumari? Has Arnold Terminator been taking notes from Rajendra Ratnoo?

Not bad for Kanyakumari district huh? You never thought it was important enough to hold on to. But look at them now. They not only singlehandedly help you stock up the entire Chalai market, they also spearhead earth saving crusades. So stop sitting there feeling all superior and calling them names, and go learn something from them (Kandu Padikku)!

With Lots of Love,
Your Friendly Neighbour,
Kanyakumari


P.S. I hope you don’t have any plans for that far off day when Ananthapuri MIGHT ban plastic bags. Harthaal Kaanum :-)

remitha yentha
Remitha Satheesh
A home maker living the 'easy life' in the US of A, juggling her time
cooking, cleaning, chauffeuring and playing maid. In between, she
nurses fanciful delusions of being the next JKRowling and tries to
'write'.
source:www.yentha.com

'Nagercoil bids adieu to plastic, shall we try to follow them?

received this comment for my post 'Nagercoil bids adieu to plastic, shall we try to follow them? today, from the District Collector of Kanyakumari @ Nagercoil. He has explained the step by step method of how he was able to implement this ban, which each and every State of our country and people can follow as an example. Now, to the comment:


Rajendra Ratnoo has left a new comment on your post "Nagercoil bids adieu to plastic, shall we try to f...":

Thanks to the author and all those who contributed here in discussion, on behalf of District Administration and the People of Kanyakumari District! Its really encouraging for me, my team and the people of this district to hear such nice feedback! One little correction, the plastics carry bags and cups are banned in the entire District, consisting of 1057 rural habitations, 56 Town Panchayats and 4 Municipalities (Nagercoil is one among the 4 municipalities) and not in Nagercoil alone! What made us to succeed is that we did almost a six months long campaign and this campaign had some specific strategies, such as

1.Campaign had three components- Awareness generation, Training for behavioral Change of all stakeholders and Enforcement from a preannounced date i.e. 1st April

2.Focus in the trainings beyond knowledge i.e. on change in attitude and behavior

3. Leading by example before preaching i.e. before launching the campaign in Public Domain, First Collector and his family stopped using plastics, then entire Collector Office Staff and District Level Officers said NO to it, then we targeted the Leaders and opinion makers, including Honorable Minister for Tourism, MLAs, Municipal and Town Pt Chairpersons and gradually we went down upto ward members, SHG leaders, Traders, and sanitary workers!

4. Multiple Channels of Communication, including vernacular media, Schools, Colleges, FM Radio, SMS,Voice calls from District Collector to all citizens, through religious leaders i.e. both mass media, and interpersonal communication strategies were used!

The results of our team work are very encouraging and we are following and monitoring the Enforcement! Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board provided good support in the campaign.

We have now launched the next Campaign for waste segregation and decentralized composting wherever possible and stopping pollution of water bodies that will be liable for criminal action from 1st July! We finally dream for a Zero Garbage Kanyakumari District! Solicit support and encouragement of responsible civil society members like you!

Thanks and regards
Rajendra Ratnoo, IAS

District Collector, Kanyakumari @ Nagercoil, TN


Thank you Sir, for your valuable comment to my post and this will help everyone who wants to follow your steps to ban plastics in our day-to-day usage.

I made this comment of the District Collector into a post because I would like everyone to know that if there is a will, there is a way. There is no meaning in just complaining that the government is not doing anything for banning plastics or in any other matter. We can all come together with the help of leaders like Mr.Rajendra Ratnoo. We really admire him and we need more people like him.

source:maradhimanni.blogspot.com

A Big Leap Forward by Little Kanyakumari District to Eschew Plastics

A Big Leap Forward by Little Kanyakumari District to Eschew Plastics
Written by V.Ganapathy
BORDA Partner - ExNoRa International




There is a new mantra among environmentalists fighting to end the menace of plastics in today’s world. Sorry but it is not the conventional Reduce, Reuse and Recycle (3R). But it is a Replicate. Mr. Rajendra Ratnoo I.A.S, District Collector, proved that the Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules promulgated almost a decade ago could indeed be implemented without harm to anyone. Incredible as it may sound, it is only too true and cannot be believed but only to be seen. For the past month throughout Kanyakumari District, the battle has been won against plastics. It is almost a win-win situation for all. The butcher, the grocer, the vegetable shopkeepers, the fish merchant, hospitals, petty tea shop owners and roadside nongu (Palmyrah) fruit drink sellers have all said NO to plastics. The auto driver, school teacher, 90-year old pilgrims from Allahabad, taking a holy dip in the sea near the Kanyakumari temple or the tourists congregating at the stand to board the ferry to the Vivekananda rock - all have joined hands with the District authorities, willingly to take up the crusade against plastics. All four municipalities, 56 Town Panchayats and 99 Village Panchayats have not only passed laws prohibiting the use of low-grade plastics and plastic articles but scrupulously observe the spirit of the law from April 1st, 2010


IEC Campaign

An intensive awareness creation campaign was launched on December 2nd, 2009, and the Green Kanyakumari Plan and war against plastics launched by Mr. M. K. Stalin, Deputy Chief Minister. Sensitisation of the people and all stakeholders to bring about change in their attitude and then triggering off behavioral changes was the main strategy.

To enlist the support of NGOs, CBOs and local leaders, the Friends of Nature Society of Kanyakumari, which was dormant for sometime, was revived. An intensive awareness campaign was conducted in the municipalities of Nagercoil, Padmanabhapuram, Kuzhithurai and Colachel, 56 Town Panchayats and 99 Village Panchayats in a participatory manner. The District Collector participated in all meetings which were attended by local political leaders, ward councilors and officials of various departments and a special role was played by the Pollution Control Board officials.

A significant feedback at the meetings from the public was that most of them accepted the menace due to indiscriminate use of plastics. A few shopkeepers and a section of political leaders expressed their apprehension at enforcing the rules effectively and wondered why the government of India or Tamil Nadu did not ban the manufacture of low quality plastic material. However, the Collector managed to convince them and ensured that all preparation to substitute low quality plastic packaging material will be made available so that the ban will not cause harm to any section of the public.

Resolutions by Local Bodies

All the local bodies in the District passed resolutions banning the use of plastics as mentioned under the MSWM rules 2000. On the eve of Pongal, it was announced that the ban would come into force from April 1st, 2010.

Reaching out to the public


Many novel methods were adopted to carry the message of the evils of plastics. A separate website was created (http://www.avoidplastics.com). Voice messages were sent by mobile phones by the District Collector to a large number of people for about a month every day. Banners, posters, sticker bills and the like were displayed at vantage points, on public vehicles, in public places and so on. Messages were sent through the local FM network, cable network and cinema theatres.

The Education Department organised painting and quiz competitions on the environment, the dangers of plastics, and the beauty of the mountainous and coastal environment of the little District. Students took out rallies and organised street plays and skits, all on the protection from plastics.

The roadmap to success

The District Collector strictly enforced the plastic ban in his home and then in the Collectorate. Next, at the meeting of Heads of all Departments, the plastic ban was explained and the same was enforced in the respective offices. This was strictly monitored by the District Collector and all District Officials. Seeing the gearing up of all Government Departments to ban plastics had a salutary effect on the general public and other stakeholders. The day-to-day monitoring of the activities of the Municipalities, Town Panchayats and Village Panchayats as per the prescribed report form, went a long way in ensuring the success of the preparatory phase for eschewing plastics.

Restoring the dignity of the bag – the Yellow bag

The Collector convened special meetings of officials of the District Rural Development Agency, Women Development Corporation, NGOs, Federations of SHGs and merchants engaged in the production, supply and marketing of cloth bags, paper bags, jute bags, palmyrah products, banana leaves and so on and drew up a plan to maximise their supply by April 1st to make the transition smooth. Banks and many members of the Friends of Nature Society came forward to supply cloth bags free-of-cost to selected sections and areas in the District.

Special Squads

In close touch with the District Pollution Control Board, about 100 special squads were formed across the District to ensure that plastics were not used as packaging material after April 1st. The teams went around their designated areas from March 1st and appealed to the public, traders and other stakeholders not to use plastic and that they should exhaust all their existing stocks before April 1st. The fine for violation of the Rules was Rs.50 for the user, Rs.500 for the shopkeeper and Rs.1, 000 for the sellers of plastic carry bags.

Pleasant Surprise

A pleasant surprise awaited the anxious District Administration on D-Day, April 1st. The adherence to the ban on plastic was spontaneous and overwhelming. All sections of society switched over to alternate packaging materials wholeheartedly swiftly and smoothly. The authorities had to book just 15 cases of violation of the Rules in the entire District so far. The Merchants Association of the District hailed the move and appealed to all traders to ban plastic in their business.

Unexpected Bonus





Most merchants, traders, hotel owners, etc. were spending amounts ranging from Rs.200 to Rs.500 per day for supply of plastic covers to their customers. Thanks to the ban on plastics, banana leaves, lotus leaves, cloth bags or paper packs were given by the traders to their customers. For supply of cloth bags for carrying home the merchandise, they supplied bags and collected Rs.3 or Rs.4 per bag. Thus, merchants were able to make considerable daily profit since they no longer needed to give free plastic bags. Customers who bought the cloth bags in the first couple of days started bringing their bag daily for further purchases.. Petty shops stopped selling oil in plastic bags and many customers subsequently came to the shops with bottles. The yellow bag is making a comeback much to the delight of the environmentalist..

To keep up the enthusiasm, the District Administration very successfully conducted mass cleaning of water bodies like tank beds and river banks for a week from April 20th to 27th.

Adventure Carnival





An adventure carnival was organised by the District Administration and Friends of Nature Society of Kanyakumari on April 24th and 25th when parachute sailing, Russian ladder, Burma Bailey Bridge crossing, Food Mela, Dog and Pet show, skating, elocution, photography, painting and quiz competitions were held for students and the general public. Over 40 senior school art teachers took part in the painting competition titled “Preservation of the Beauty of Nature in Kanyakumari”. Mr.Rajendra Ratnoo I.A.S, District Collector participated in the four- hour painting competition displaying through his work the beauty of the magnificent tree and in its shadow the stumps of the trees that were cut by human greed. Mr. Rajendra Ratnoo has given a new dimension to the mantra of reduce, reuse and recycle to the environmentalist. The District has shown how to achieve the goal of a plastic-free environment and has also successfully implemented the same. V. Ganapathy, Liaison Officer, ExNoRa International, along with the Garland Service Society, Trichy, provided the necessary social and technical support to the District Administration in the campaign.

The Kanyakumari R & R. model is simple and easy to follow since its success was due to meticulous planning, sincere implementation with adequate monitoring and an approach to make the entire challenge a win-win situation for all.

source;www.borda-sa.org

say no to plastic bag(Article by Lakshmi Rajan)



say no to plastic bag

When was the last time you carried bag from home when going out for shopping? When was the last time you stuffed your purchases in a cloth bag instead of the plastic one? When I was kid, the shop keepers use to wrap grocery items in paper and we used to carry cloth bags (bright yellow bags in particular) when we go shopping. Things have changed drastically in short span of years. Now we are so used to plastic bags in life that for even small petty purchases, the shop keepers provide us the plastic bags. It has become integral part of our life.

Have you ever thought about how many plastic bags are in usage everyday? Every year, around 500 billion (500,000,000,000) plastic bags are used worldwide. Imagine the quantity of bags that would be in use in a growing economy with a billion populations.

Why do we need to say NO to plastics?

* Plastic is forever and they litter the landscape.
* Plastic is poisoning our food chain
* Plastic affects human health
* Plastic bags kill animals

Inspite of this hard facts plastic usage has become almost indispensable in our daily life and one cannot even imagine a life without them. But then for the larger interest of Planet Earth strong action has to be taken. Our previous generations have managed their life without plastic bags, so can we all that needs is an effective discipline on the part of the Government as well as the public to curb this practice.

Couple of weeks back when I visited Kanya kumari, I was pleasantly shocked. The plastics carry bags and cups are banned in the entire District, consisting of 1057 rural habitations, 56 Town Panchayats and 4 Municipalities. The ban has been welcomed by the public and it is hugely successful. How did this happen when this idea failed in the neighboring district of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala?

Yes, the public do have the practical difficulties. Shift from plastic bags to non-plastic mode is not that easy but the people of the district have got used to the change in life style. Yes, it is a change in life style. One has to carry cloth bags when going out to make small purchases, you need to carry utensils when you plan take-away food parcels. Inspite of these small inconveniences the no-plastic momentum has sustained and well received by public. The credit for the Plastic-free Kanyakumari goes to Rajendra Ratnoo, the District collector who started the campaign and makes sure it is effectively implemented through three prong strategy.

This is how Rajendra Ratnoo and his administration made the change happen. In his own words:

What made us to succeed is that we did almost a six months long campaign and this campaign had some specific strategies, such as


1. Campaign had three components- Awareness generation, Training for behavioral Change of all stakeholders and Enforcement from a preannounced date i.e. 1st April


2. Focus in the trainings beyond knowledge i.e. on change in attitude and behaviour


3. Leading by example before preaching i.e. before launching the campaign in Public Domain, First Collector and his family stopped using plastics, then entire Collector Office Staff and District Level Officers said NO to it, then we targeted the Leaders and opinion makers, including Honourable Minister for Tourism, MLAs, Municipal and Town Pt Chairpersons and gradually we went down upto ward members, SHG leaders, Traders, and sanitary workers!


4. Multiple Channels of Communication, including vernicular media, Schools, Colleges, FM Radio, SMS,Voice calls from District Collector to all citizens, through religious leaders i.e. both mass media, and interpersonal communication strategies were used!
The results of our team work are very encouraging and we are following and monitoring the Enforcement!Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board provided good support in the campaign.

Have we not heard for umpteen times the phrases “charity begins at home”, “be the change”, well here is an administration and the administrator who lead by example and then implemented the change very effectively. The administration and the public of Kanyakumari deserve a big round of claps and cheers.

During my stay I did find a couple of small restaurants packing the sambars and chutneys in plastic bags. When I found that the there is an official Facebook page by name Plastic-free Kanyakumari, I joined and pointed it out. Immediately next day, I came to know that the shops were raided and action taken. Can you believe it?

Visit Plastic-free Kanyakumari face book page :

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Plastics-free-Kanyakumari/129484013733576

Now the district administration has embarked on a new initiative “solid waste management and zero waste generation” Good luck KK ! Hope we learn a lesson or two from this tiny district.

source :www.gingerchai.com