A well known NGO Eco-Pro in collaboration with Moharli (buffer) Range Forest Office conducted a plastic cleaning campaign of tourist road on Tadoba buffer area. Both Forest Department staffers and Eco-Pro volunteers jointly took part in the drive.
The cleaning operation was carried out by collecting plastic from the forest road from Padmapur to Moharli passing through the buffer zone Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR).
Walking in a 16 km area from the entrance of the buffer to the entrance of the core, volunteers and foresters collected plastics and tried to create awareness among the people. It is common practice among the tourists coming to Tadoba and locals passing by this route, to throw the plastics and other waste from the vehicles on the road side.
Honorary Wildlife Warden and President of Eco-Pro Bandu Dhotre with his volunteers and RFO, Moharli, Raghavendra Moon with his staff set out on foot from Padmapurto Agarzari collecting the garbage and plastic thrown by the tourist along the road. Another team started similar cleaning drive from Moharli to Agarzari simultaneously.
The entire stretch road between Padmapur gate to Moharli gate of TATR was made plastic-free by collecting plastic sheets, plastic bags, water bottles,masks, discharged food items thrown by tourists and citizens on both sides of the road.
The teams also found lots of plastic sheets used to wrap Kharra along the road. Plastic which has always been a huge cause of pollution, it is also hazardous for the wild animals.
Plastics collected in the cleaning campaign were deposited at the Chandrapur Municipal Corporation’s waste depot as usual for recycling.
