Recommendations for next year's Campaign

Here's a List of Recommendations made by ATREE's KMTR Team to ensure that next year the event will be even more effective

1. Better co-ordination between of the Forest Department and the Police and Municipality and ATREE in implementing the ban

2. Volunteers to be selected more rigorously

3. Advertising about the ban in local newspapers

4. Stop distribution of bit notices inside the reserve which adds to the garbage.

5. Urge people to throw plastic and organic waste in separate bins. A fine should be imposed on the offenders.

6. It should be made mandatory for shopkeepers to keep bins. The Forest Department or the Temple Trust could facilitate this by bringing the bins to the site and renting them out to the shopkeepers.

7. Shop keepers should not be allowed to use, sell or give away plastic bags and plastic cups. They should also arrange for bins outside their shops. License should be issued only on this condition. Offenders should be fined or their license should be cancelled depending on the extent of violation.

8. There should be more firewood depots. This year, firewood was sold only at a single depot and was not enough to meet the demand. People also found the fire wood at the depot expensive. This led to collection of firewood from the forest.

9. The police should be involved in enforcing the ban. For this, better communication and co-ordination required. This year the Police were unaware of the order.

10. Mandatory fine should be imposed at the check post for carrying plastic and liquor. Though the police checked for liquor bottles this year, they not treat carrying of plastic as a violation of law.

11. The temple authorities should provide permanent dust bins and undertake proper waste disposal.

12. There should be a regulation on the number of days people can camp within the sanctuary.

13. Screening of movies and songs on a large screen should not be allowed.

14. A working committee with executive members from ATREE, Forest Department and the Temple Samsthanam should be formed which should work towards implementing the ban well in advance.

15. Support for Volunteers especially for women/girls in terms of a clean mess, water and toilet facilities should be provided.

16. More attention should be given to Banathirtham and other temples where garbage is beginning to accumulate. It is better to curtail it at this early stage.