HYDERABAD: In an attempt to make the city plastic-free, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has set up an eco-friendly Any Time Cloth Bag Vending Machine at the IDPL fruit market. The civic body has installed the first-ever solar powered ATM-like vending machine with a capacity of 500 bags on a pilot basis. This machine dispenses a cloth bag when a customer inserts a Rs 10 coin or a note while there is also an UPI payment option.
According to information provided by the GHMC, these cloth bags are spacious and sturdy, and they can hold up to five kg of weight, making them perfect for carrying fruits, vegetables and groceries.
The civic body has set up another machine near JNTU Rythu Bazar, Kukatpally and it will be made operational shortly.
Speaking to TNIE, GHMC Zonal Commissioner V Mamata said that the civic body along MOVATE, a social enterprise focused on promoting sustainability, collaborated with United Way of Hyderabad to make this project a reality under it corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative.
“This project aims to solve two pressing issues -- finding an alternate to single use plastic that is cloth bag and providing livelihood to members of for Women Self Help Groups (SHG). Material is provided to women SHGs. They stitch the cloth bag which can store five kg weight and load the same in the vending machine. This initiative will, therefore, provide them more opportunities to earn revenue. On an average, a member of SHG can earn Rs 75,000 per month through this initiative,” she said.
The cloth bag dispensing machines are being installed near vegetable and fruit markets to bring behavioural change in the community to avoid using single use plastic (SUP), which is banned in the city.
Powered by solar energy, these vending machines take a step towards a more sustainable future. If the experiment is successful, more such vending machines will be installed at ideal locations in the city, including vegetable and fruit markets, and shopping complexes, the Zonal Commissioner said.