Sunday, 11 October 2020 | PNS | New Tehri
Even as the lakhs of saplings in the nurseries of the forest department contribute towards environmental conservation and enrichment, the black plastic bags in which these saplings were grown have been proving a detriment to this cause. However, now the forest department has found an alternative to these plastic bags which are damaging to the environment. However, some observers are still skeptical and point out that the alternative is not the best option even though it may appear to be better than the plastic bags.
After the plantation of saplings from the departmental nurseries, the black plastic bags used to end up causing environmental contamination. To overcome this problem, the department has now undertaken the innovative step of using biobags instead of the plastic bags. These bio bags will now be used to grow the saplings in the departmental nurseries instead of the plastic bags.
It is estimated that crores of such plastic bags are used in the departmental nurseries for growing the saplings. In the Narendranagar forest division more than two lakh such plastic bags are used in preparation of the saplings in the departmental nurseries in Bemunda, Bhadrakali and other locations. These polythene bags have been used for this purpose for decades. This polythene is quite thick and used mainly as it is convenient and durable for the purpose of holding and transporting the saplings. However, after the saplings are planted, the plastic ends up as garbage scattered even in environmentally sensitive locations. Apart from damaging the environment and affecting the soil quality, at times, such polythene bags end up in the stomachs of animals. So far, no viable alternative had been found for these plastic bags which are popular in both departmental and private nurseries.
The Narendranagar forest division has prepared bags using 70 GSM non-woven fabric as an alternative to the polythene bags used in the nurseries. The trial of such bags has been successful in the herbal nursery at Bhadrakali. The department is now preparing a plan to use bags made from this material in all its nurseries instead of the plastic bags. The Narendranagar sub divisional officer MS Bisht said that the use of polythene bags damages the environment. It takes a long time for the polythene to decompose. To overcome this problem, the department has opted for bio bags made from non woven fabric. The use of such bags in all departmental nurseries in the future will help in curtailing the pollution caused by polythene bags, he added.
