http://www.dailypioneer.com/STATE EDITIONS
‘MAKE HARISHANKAR
FORESTS POLYTHENE-FREE’
Wednesday, 13 August 2014 | PNS | BALANGIR | in Bhubaneswar
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Use eco-friendly plates, cups
The Harishankar temple located in the Gandhmardan hills be made
polythene-free to save its ecosystem from further degradation, demanded the
locals as well as environmentalists here.
Everyday hundreds of visitors visit the shrine, but they
throw away many polythene bags, liquor bottles and other items here and there,
polluting the atmosphere, pointed out Gandhmardarn Surakshya Action Committee
president Tikendra Jal.
The outfit is committed to the safety of the ecology of the
verdant hills, which have a lot of socio-cultural, economic and environmental
significance. Everyday around 1,500 people are taking the Bhog (launch) at the
Harishankar temple and plates (Khali) and cup made up of polythene are used for
the purpose.
According to our conservative estimate, a total of 2,000 plates
and 6,000 cup are used, which are just dumped hither and thither, posing a
grave threat to the ecology of the hills, Jal said.
The use of the polythene coated plates and cup should be stopped
to make Harishankar in Gandhmardan a polythene free zone, demanded Jal. He
opined that rather than polythene coated plates, leaf plates prepared by local
SHG groups from locally available Sial leaves should be used. “The Sial leaf
plates are eco-friendly and their use would provide livelihood support to the
rural SHG women and other members of surrounding villages,” Jal explained.
We have formed SHG in eight villages of Nandupala gram panchayat
and the SHGs are ready to provide Sial leaf plates and cups to the Harishankar
Mandir every day.
Moreover, we also urge the hotels/shops adjacent to the shrine
to stop selling of items in polythene and use traditional items instead, Jal
said adding that his outfit has submitted a petition to the district
administration in this regard.
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