In an initiative to mitigate the adverse impact of plastic wastes on the environment, a panchayat in Odisha’s Nuapada district has introduced the Bartan Bank – a repository of utensils available for community use across the villages within its jurisdiction.
Focusing on the pressing issue of plastic pollution, Saroj Devi Agarwal, the sarpanch of Bhaleswar panchayat in Nuapada, emphasised the adverse effects of non-degradable plastics on the environment, particularly during community gatherings.
She articulated that social events significantly contribute to the proliferation of plastic waste; as a solution she proposed the development of Bartan Banks in order to minimise plastic use in community gatherings.
The inaugural Bartan Bank has been established in the remote Kurumunda village, where the community has enthusiastically embraced the concept of shared utensils. An allocation of ₹75,000 from the Kurumunda village fund was dedicated to procuring steel utensils and cutlery which will be overseen by village elders within the Bartan Bank framework.
Villagers are encouraged to use the utensils free of charge, on the condition that they are returned after a thorough cleaning. “The rest of the six villages in the region would soon have their own Bartan Bank as well,” said Ms. Agarwal.
She elaborated that this innovative approach of managing plastic waste would greatly benefit community.
“The land is becoming unfit for use due to the littering of plastic wastes. And although this is but a small step compared to the great swathe of plastic pollution, we nonetheless hope this will make a huge difference to the environment and to the lives of the people,” Ms. Agarwal said.
The progressive sarpanch stated that the move would bring down expenses incurred on throwing community feasts during functions. Moreover, cattle deaths on account of plastic waste consumption would also be checked as a by-product, she said.
Not so long ago, the sarpanch had made headlines for using drones for disbursing stipends meant for people with disabilities in the remote parts of the Bhaleswar panchayat, located on the border of Odisha and Chhattisgarh. She decided to employ the drones after witnessing people with disabilities facing inconveniences in travelling to the panchayat headquarters to receive their stipends.
