ANCHATGERI (Dharwad): As you enter Anchatgeri in Dharwad district, it appears like any other north Karnataka village. But chances are that your perception will change very soon. The village, with a population of about 6,000, has WiFi network, solar panels dot many houses and CCTV cameras can be seen on main streets, panchayat office and the local school.
And the highlight — you cannot find any plastic waste on the roads. The villagers here have got used to using alternatives to plastic items and have now become an inspiration to many neighbouring villages.
And their efforts will now be recognised at the national level under the Swachh Hi Seva programme. Basavaraj Bidnal, Anchatgeri GP president and Karibasappa Gudisalamane, Swachagrahi of the village, will be felicitated by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a function to be held on the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi at Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
Another feather in Anchatgeri cap is that it was declared open defecation-free in 2017. The local Panchayat took up a plastic-free awareness campaign early this year and within a few months, they achieved success.
“We used school children to create awareness. Though there was a poor response from the villagers initially, the participation of children changed their minds. We had announced an incentive of Rs 2 per plastic bottle for students. In a few weeks, we collected about 5,000 plastic bottles and about 112 kg of plastic was generated. It is now a common scene in the village to see women carry cloth bags for shopping,” Bidnal told TNIE.
Gurunath Chikkamath, a resident, said that it was indeed a matter of pride that their village is being recognised at the national level. “Now, villagers ensure that there is no plastic waste. After the plastic items were banned, there was a reduction in solid waste generation and today the village streets look cleaner than before,” he said.