Plastic waste piles up in Yercaud, situation worsens during holidays

SALEM: Plastic waste is becoming a growing environmental concern in Yercaud, with residents and forest department authorities warning that discarded water bottles, food wrappers, covers and plastic cutlery are piling up throughout the hill station despite the ban on a number of single-use plastic items.

Key points

• Plastic waste is frequently discovered around Ondikadai, Boat House, Nagalur Road and Manjakuttai, residents stated.
• Yercaud is home to more than 1, 000 Indian gaurs.
• The difficulty additionally poses a threat to Yercaud's wildlife, according to a senior forest official from the Yercaud range.
• Residents remarked the climbed employ of packaged drinking water, food packaging and other plastic items has went on to the waste generated in the hill station.
• M Keerthana, a resident, remarked awareness campaigns and cleaning drives conducted by NGOs, organisations and educational institutions had not brought concerning a lasting change.

Residents remarked the climbed employ of packaged drinking water, food packaging and other plastic items has went on to the waste generated in the hill station. Inadequate waste segregation, limited collection facilities and poor enforcement of the plastic ban have created it challenging to control the difficulty, they remarked.

M Keerthana, a resident, remarked awareness campaigns and cleaning drives conducted by NGOs, organisations and educational institutions had not brought concerning a lasting change. "Though single-use plastic is banned, many shops continue to provide plastic items and they are still widely used, " she remarked. S Murali, an auto driver, remarked water bottles were among the major sources of plastic waste generated by tourists. "Like in Ooty, there should be strict enforcement. Plastic water bottles below five litres should not be allowed, " he remarked.

Meanwhile, the difficulty additionally poses a threat to Yercaud's wildlife, according to a senior forest official from the Yercaud range. The forest area extends throughout around 2, 500 hectares, with only limited portions accessible to tourists. The official remarked discarded plastic could be consumed by animals along with food waste, posing a serious threat to wildlife.

Yercaud is home to more than 1, 000 Indian gaurs. It frequently move through areas adjoining human settlements. The presence of plastic waste in such areas increases the risk of the animals consuming it, the official remarked.

In short, plastic waste piles up in Yercaud, situation worsens during holidays is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.