With the polythene menace posing serious problem in the tiger reserves of the State, the Union Government has asked the State Administration to make these sensitive zones “plastic-free”.
Tiger reserves, nature parks and protected forest areas in the State are needed to be “plastic free,” said Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) Amita Prasad in her letter to the State Government.
While hundreds of people are visiting these green zones in the Similipal, and Satkosia tiger reserves every day, officials admit that polythene is a part of life now and it is posing real menace. And, the wild animals eat the plastic materials and face a tough time, even death.
looking at the menace, the Additional Secretary, MoEFCC has urged the State Government to ask the PCCF Wildlife and Director Project Tigers to ensure “plastic-free environment”.
Dr Prasad has urged the State Government to take initiative to urge the tourists to bring back plastic waste/litter along with them after visiting the tiger reserves and nature parks.
Similarly, the pristine beaches like of Gopalpur, Puri, Konark, Paradip and Chandipur in the coastal State are littered with trash and the MoEFCC has decided to make them “trash free”.
Dr Prasad has asked the State Government to identify five beaches, where with the support of the local people, a cleanliness drive will be taken up and the waste would be removed and disposed of safely. Both the District Administration and tourists should join hands to clear trash from the beaches in a time bound manner.
While awareness is generated through various audio-visual media not to pollute the pristine beaches, tourists are just not behaving with responsibility, admit officials in Department of Tourism.
However, Dr Prasad has underscored the importance to chalk out a fortnight long programme for generation of awareness. In fact beaches are littered with heaps of filth, garbage and mounds of polythene, so making them clean is a Herculean task, say officials.
In several beaches across the State, prohibition is there on the use of polythene and disposable plastic cups, sachets and bags. Such moves are for keeping the beauty of beaches intact and making it tourist-friendly.
But both tourists and officials here have scant regard towards such environment safety measures, pointed out an activist.
The MoEFCC is also organizing “Clean Environment Fortnight” during these days and green initiatives are needed to be taken up by the State Government, it urged. Dr Prasad has also advised the State Government to take up cleanliness drive in lakes, rivers and other water bodies. For greater impact, she has requested the State Government to continue these activities beyond the “Cleanliness Fortnight Drive” after June 15 also.