Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (TP)

Udupi, Jul 14: The city municipality council’s (CMC) ‘floating trash barrier’ project in the Indrani river that prevents waste from entering into the sea has been successful in trapping the trash. The barrier has already collected tons of trash during the heavy rainfall that the city received so far in the month of July.

As much as 90 tons of trash has been collected in the floating trash barrier of the Indrani River near Kodavoor in the last two years.

The floating trash barrier project was started in November 2021 to prevent trash like plastic bottles, polystyrene, plastic bags and other wastes from entering into the sea and also prevent sea pollution.

Speaking to daijiworld, Sneha, environmental engineer, Udupi city municipality said, “The floating trash barrier was constructed at a cost of Rs 3.5 lac. The plastic wastes which were thrown into the river used to directly reach the sea. So to stop this trash, a barrier was established. The trash barrier prevents the trash from flowing into the sea but helps in collecting wastes. The reusable collected trash will be given to authorised recyclers and the rest of the wastes will be dumped in the landfill. Nearly one to two tons of trash will be collected at a given instant.”

National Green Bench Directive has given guidelines to the government and local working associations to take measures to protect river, ponds and sea from the wastes.

The floating trash barrier has also prevented environmental degradation.