Why in News?
The Gujarat Forest Department has launched a ₹2.94-crore plastic waste management project around the Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary to reduce plastic pollution and involve local communities in conservation.
Key Highlights
- The project is supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) under the Project for Eco-Restoration in Gujarat (PERG).
- Villagers will be paid for collecting plastic waste from areas around Nalsarovar.
- The waste will be segregated and transported to a dedicated Plastic Waste Collection Centre at Kayla village.
- Local volunteers, called ‘Swachhta Praharis’, will promote waste segregation and collection.
- The initiative aims to protect the wetland ecosystem, reduce plastic pollution and create livelihood opportunities for local communities.
- Nalsarovar is a Ramsar Site and an important habitat for migratory birds along the Central Asian Flyway.
