Our correspondent
Itanagar: In a major push towards making Ziro a plastic-free zone, the Lower Subansiri district administration in Arunachal Pradesh, has completed the distribution of 10,000 free cloth bags as part of its ‘Plastic Free Ziro’ campaign.
Deputy commissioner Oli Perme handed over the final instalment of bags to the market welfare committees of Hapoli and Old Ziro markets during a function held on Tuesday.
The initiative, which began under former DC Vivek H P in collaboration with Power Grid under CSR support, aims to eliminate single-use plastic from the region by engaging local self-help groups (SHGs) in cloth bag production.
A dedicated manufacturing unit was set up in a repurposed government school hostel, where SHGs, onboarded through ArSRLM, have been stitching bags featuring Apatani tribal motifs and awareness messages such as ‘Clean and Green Ziro’ and ‘Plastic Free Ziro’.
These bags have been distributed free of cost to market-goers through welfare committees, both to reduce plastic use and to economically empower local women.
While handing over the final batch, the DC urged the SHGs and market committees to continue championing the campaign and set an example for other districts. She also encouraged the production of additional items like tablecloths and curtains incorporating traditional Apatani designs.
Importantly, she announced that a district-wide ban on the use, storage, distribution, and sale of single-use plastic carry bags will come into effect from August 15, 2025.
Additional deputy commissioner Himani Meena suggested tying up with large retailers such as Vishal Mega Mart to ensure steady market linkage for cloth bag producers.
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