Locals join hands for plastic-free forest

MUMBAI: NGOs gathered at different entrances to Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) on Sunday to ensure that no plastic goes into the forests. On Sunday, two to three lakh devotees visited various temples in the national park for Mahashivratri. Usually, most people carry plastic bags, disposable tea cups, etc into the forest. Volunteers from various organizations checked people at the entrance and asked them to leave plastic bags out.

According to forest officials, the main SGNP region did not witness much littering as forest guards and volunteers ensured that the plastic wrappers and bags were not carried inside. Most plastic garbage was seen at the Tungareshwar forest.

Vanashakti, an environment group which posted its volunteers at the Yeoor range which is close to the Ayappa temple, collected around 45 kg of plastic bags and other inflammable items. Conservation Action Group and City Forest Initiative also collected bags from the visitors.

Forest officials said small fires were reported in Tungareshwar and in the Yeoor range. “The fires were spotted immediately and doused in time,” said Sunil Limaye, chief forest conservator, SGNP.