Mahua: Mahua Municipality in Bhavnagar in collaboration with Pidilite Industries has initiated a unique campaign to make the town plastic-free. Citizens can earn money and incentives by depositing plastic bags, milk, and buttermilk packets. For every kilogram of plastic, they receive ₹10, and for per kilogram of plastic bottles, they receive ₹23. Additionally, one kilogram of plastic can be exchanged for two kilograms of manure. The municipality has set up fourteen plastic collection centers across nine wards, where citizens actively deposit their plastic waste. A recycling plant has also been established jointly by the municipality and Pidilite Industries to process the collected plastic waste.

Contributing towards a greener and cleaner Gujarat, Rajiben Vankar, president of Sakhi Mandal in collaboration with 60 other females is leading a campaign to make villages free from plastic waste. The women of Kuldevi Krupa Sakhi Mandal in Avadhnagar village of Bhuj taluka along with others visit households to collect waste plastic bags. These women are not only earning their livelihoods by weaving innovative items using plastic waste but are also playing an important role in saving the environment. This campaign is gaining more support from other women in the region.

At present, 60 women are involved in the campaign and are remunerated for collecting, washing, and cutting the plastic. The women who pick plastic are given ₹15 per/kg. They also weave plastic waste into various products like purses, bags, wallets, and more. Each woman is compensated according to her work. Rajiben acknowledges the government’s support in providing financial and marketing assistance, enabling women to become self-reliant. In recognition of her contributions in the field of biodegradable and plastic waste, Rajiben was recently honored with the President’s Award in New Delhi.

Such campaigns are becoming significant for environmental protection and green growth in Gujarat. Similarly, the plastic recycling campaign in Gujarat particularly in Dhoraji taluka is playing a vital role in environmental protection and green growth. It has emerged as the largest cluster for plastic recycling in the state with over 450 factories engaged in the recycling process. These factories produce a wide range of products such as ropes, box bars, pipes, and cotton, which are not only consumed domestically but also exported to countries like America, Bangladesh, and African nations.

Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a plastic-free India, these campaigns in Gujarat are making significant contributions by demonstrating its commitment to sustainable development.
As Gujarat is progressing towards green growth, the state’s efforts are becoming an inspiring model for other regions to follow. In the future, Gujarat’s green growth story will pave the roadmap for other states in India.

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