RAMANATHAPURAM: The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances has listed the plastic check post established by the forest department in Rameswaram as one of the best practices followed in the country. Since its implementation in 2022, the check post has collected more than 39 tonnes of plastic.
Rameswaram-Dhanushkodi stretch, which lies under the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere, houses thousands of marine species and is among the Ramsar sites. Dhanushkodi is one of the major spots where one can find turtle-hatching every year. The spot is also a safe haven for migratory birds.
Since it is a tourist spot, plastic bottles are a major cause of pollution and deterioration of the marine environment. In a bid to prevent it, the forest department and Gulf of Mannar Biosphere National Park launched a special check post in Rameswaram for collecting plastic waste from tourist vehicles. They also charge a fee for entry into Dhanushkodi.
From June 2022-2023, as many as 39.49 tonnes of plastic waste have been collected through the check post. The amount collected as an entry fee is being used for cleaning the shore area and preserving the environment from marine littering, said Bagan Jagadish Sudhakar, Wildlife Warden of the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Park.
He further said that such effective management was one of the key features mentioned in the report submitted for the International UNESCO's Michel Batisse Award. "The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances has recognised about 120 initiatives as best practices of 2022. Such recognitions motivate officials, workers, and volunteers who took efforts in initiating the scheme. After Rameswaram, a plastic check post has been started in the Erwadi area as well," added Sudhakar.
Environmental activists urged the department to strictly prevent tourists and small shops from littering in the coastal areas.