Visits since 1 Apr 2024
3,541,006
Visits since 1 Jan 2007 45,402,595
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The sustained efforts and the campaign that started almost ten years ago have shown good results in turning the Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) into a plastic-free zone.
Behind the outcome was the systematic campaign, daily collection of plastic items thrown away by tourists and a strict ban on plastic materials inside the forest areas. The plastic collected are carried to the non-biodegradable waste treatment plant set up at Murikkady near Kumily in collaboration with the Kumily Grama Panchayat.
The systematic collection of plastic became a routine affair with the support of the Eco-Development Committees (EDCs). In Kumily, a separate EDC has been created for plastic collection alone. Besides plastic collection, the tourists entering the forest are strictly prohibited from carrying plastic bottles and carry bags.
With the help of public, nearly two years ago, the Kumily Grama Panchayat launched the anti-plastic campaign among shop owners with regards to the sale of plastic carry bags and daily collection of plastic items in the Kumily town limits.
The PTR, a model for inclusive development of the tribal people living here, started the anti-plastic campaign among them. The tribal areas inside the forest became the first plastic-free zones and it was the tribal people who found out that the plastics dumped by tourists were posing threat to the wildlife here.
The PTR's campaign message focuses on the responsibility of all to protect the forest and its environment for those visiting it in the future. This tiger reserve is situated in one of the best preserved forest regions teeming with rich wildlife, lying in Idukki and Pathanamthitta districts of Kerala.
