Amaravati, April 5: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy held a meeting with the representatives of Global Alliance for Sustainable Planet (GASP) for starting a pilot project of manufacturing value added materials from garbage as part of implementation of eco friendly methods for sustainable growth.
During the meeting held at camp office here on Tuesday, the Chief Minister said the pilot project should be linked with Jagananna Swachha Sankalpam programme and make the beaches very clean. He said it is a very good development that the plastic waste being collected is recycled and added that a clear mechanism is in place in the state for collection of garbage. He said the state government has been seriously looking into recycling and reusing of non bio- degredable materials and the experience of GASP should be used in this regard.
The Chief Minister said the state government has set up 10,777 Rytu Bharosa Kendras ( RBKs) and a kiosk is arranged in each RBK and added that Agriculture and Horticulture Assistants are also working from there. He said seeds and fertilizers are being supplied through RBKs after the state certifying the quality. He said every crop is being recorded online, e cropped and geo tagged so that the subsidies of the government can reach the beneficiary easily and compensation to crop loss can be provided. The Chief Minister said RBKs have been playing a vital role in all these activities and added that they would become centers for natural farming in future.
He said there is need to strengthen RBKs and encourage hiring centers for natural farming. He said natural farming methods should not be confined to labs and they should be made available to farmers and encouraged in every village across the state. He said there is need to fix remunerative price to natural farming products and the difference of price of regular farming and natural farming products should be clearly seen and added that natural farming products should be certified. He said the state government is looking into setting up a University for natural farming and also suggested for a graduation course in natrual farming. In regard to Eco Tourism, the Chief Minister instructed the officials to prepare plans to provide employment opportunities to locals.
GASP representative, renowned international designer, Parley for the Oceans founder Cyrill Gutsch has given a presentation to the Chief Minister on plastic waste removal and recycling. He expressed concern over pollution of oceans due to plastic waste and said it is important to recycle it and also to follow environmentally friendly policies in the process. He said only nine percent of 150 Million Tons of single use plastic products is being recycled and the remaining is the cause of concern. He said that turning plastic waste into value added products using eco friendly methods would pave the way for a new economy.
He explained the Chief Minister the process of preparation of building construction materials, furniture, clothes, shoes and other various value added products though plastic waste by Parley company which is subsidiary of GASP.
The representatives of GASP have briefed the Chief Minister the project of exo tourism in Uttarakhand. The officials said there is scope for development of eco tourism in Araku, Ananthagiri and Rampachodavaram areas and the chief minister instructed the officials to prepare plans in this regard.
Chief Secretary Dr Sameer Sharma, Chief Minister’s Special Chief Secretary Dr K S Jawahar Reddy, Municipal Administration and Urban Development Special Chief Secretary Y Sri lakshmi, Food Processing Secretary Mukesh Kumar Meena, Tribal Welfare Secretary Kanthilal Dande, AP Markfed MD P S Pradyumna, GASP Chairman Erik Solheim, GASP Secretary General Satya Tripati, Parley for the Oceans founder Cyrill Gutsch, Eco Tourism Investor Adithi Balbir, S4 Capital PLC director for operations Poran Malani and other officials were present in the meeting.
