Plastic Free Malakkappara Through Livelihood Enhancement of the Plantation Labourers

Plastic Free Malakkappara through Livelihood enhancement of the plantation labourers

Brief Report of the Programme (9th – 13th October 2016) By Hornbill Foundation NSS & Research Department of Botany MES Asmabi College TATA Coffee Ltd. Kerala Forest Department, Vazhachal Forest Division Athriapilly Grama Panchayath

Plastic Free Malakkappara through Livelihood enhancement of the plantation labourers Brief Report of the Programme (9th – 13th October 2016) By Hornbill Foundation A collaborative Event of Hornbill Foundation, TATA Coffee Ltd and NSS & Research Department of Botany MES Asmabi College, Kodungallur with the support of Athirapilly Grama Panchayath and Vazhachal Forest Division Kerala Forest Department. Rationale Traffic and visitors through the Athirapilly – Malakkappara – Valaparai interstate road within Athirapilly Panchayath, in Thrissur District of Kerala has been increased almost 10 times in the last one decade. There has been many issues to the people, environment and wildlife because of the increased tourist influx, disposal and overuse of plastic carry bags in the area. Elderly people in the plantation area are in need of livelihood support. The Western Ghats Hornbill Foundation has been working in the area since 2005 in community based environmental conservation, education and Research. A programme has been planned jointly by Hornbill Foundation, TATA Coffee Ltd with the support of Athirapilly Grama Panchayath, Vazhachal Forest Division Kerala Forest Department and NSS & Research Department of Botany MES Asmabi College, Kodungallur. I. Plastic use – health issues Survey A survey to understand the plastic usage and its health impact in the Malakkappara region was organised jointly by Hornbill Foundation, Athirapilly Grama Panchayath with the support of all the important agencies in the region. The survey was carried out by NSS Volunteers and PG students of the Research and PG Department of the MES Asmabi College. The survey was inaugurated by Mr. K. Karupayya, Vice President Athirapilly Grama Panchayath. CDS person Mrs. Suguna Meri presided over the function. Dr. K.H. Amitha Bachan of the Hornbill Foundation and Ms. U.R. Veelalakshmi, NSS Programme officers felicitated the function. Ms. K.T. Anitha of the Hornbill Foundation led the survey while dividing them into six groups of 7 volunteers and were send to six regions in the 9, 10 and 11th Ward of the Athirapilly Grama Panchayath. Each group was supported by Ward members, Asha workers and Kudumbasree workers.

Inauguration Mr. K. Karuppusami, Vice President, Athirapilly Grama Panchayath

A pair of volunteers visited at least 10 houses or shops and completed the survey by noon. The process itself became an awareness programme for the rural people especially regarding the health hazards of plastic.

Students at Houshold Survey 2. Training on paper bags making for the plantation labourers Plastic has become an integral part of life and also has become material reason for our green and healthy culture we traditionally inherited. Plastic carry bags became a threat to the environment and our health. Many plastic products displaced many traditional products and cottage industries and further displacing micro level livelihood options. Green replacements are necessary for practical eradication of plastics from our daily life. The Hornbill Foundation with support of TATA Coffee Ltd., Malakkappara planned a training on paper bag and cloth bag making for the old age and dependants of the plantation labourers as an important action for eradication of the plastic carry bags from the region as well as livelihood options for labour families.

Mrs. Thankamma Vargheese, President Athirapilly Grama Panchayath Inaugurating the Training

The training was inaugurated by Mrs. Thankamma Vargheese, President Athirapilly Grama Panchayath on function organised at the Panchayath Community Hall. Mr. K. Karupayya, Vice President, Athirapilly Grama Panchayath presided over the function and both marked it as remarkable event for the people in the Malakkappara region. The president pledged to take it forward as an activity of Kudumbasree with its progress ahead. Mr. Delto L. Morokke, Range Forest officer, Shoalayar Range of Vazhachal Forest Division felicitated the function giving light on the increased tourism and increase of plastic waste in the region and offered all the support of the department and their staff for the programme for making the area at least a ‘Plastic Carry Bag Free Zone’. Mr. Prince, Labour Welfare Officer, TATA Coffee Ltd. Offered their full support for the programme as they are dedicated to make the plantation area plastic free and this attempt would become a successful model. Dr. K.H. Amitha Bachan founder of the Western Ghats Hornbill Foundation and Assistant Professor, Research and PG Department of Botany MES Asmabi College said it as the remarkable event happened as part of last few years of interaction and thought with various stakeholders in the region. He also mentioned increase plastic mixed garbage dumping as an important reason for increase human wildlife conflict in the plantation and tourist areas. Student volunteers from NSS uits of MES Asmabi College volunteered their help for the training programme.

Mr. Delto L. Morokke, Range Forest officer, Sholayar Range of Vazhachal Forest Division

Felicitation by Mr. Prince, Labour Welfare Officer, TATA Coffee Ltd. Malakkappara

An initial training session was conducted for the participants with the leadership of Mr. C.S. Aneesh and Mr. Ali Akbar, Programme coordinators of the Hornbill Foundation just after the inaugural session. The areas were divided into five according to the clusters of habitation (Divisions) in the plantations. Participants from each division made into five groups, NSS volunteers joined them for the training session.

Paper Bag Making Training Session

Participants of the Training with Volunteers

Distribution of tools for paper bag making by Mrs. Suguna Mery

3. Anti Plastic Campaign A campaign along with a public precession was organised by the Hornbill Foundation and Vazhachal Forest Division, Kerala Forest Department with the support of NSS Volunteers of MES Asmabi College involving public, representatives of the Panchayath and plantation labourers. The campaign started from the Malakkappara Community hall and the precession gone through all the main centres, Kerala Forest Check post and upto the Tamil Nadu Border and Tamil Nadu Forest Check Post. Students made placards with anti plastic slogans in English and Tamil apart from Malayalam. They sang environment friendly songs and slogans on plastic awareness. Also campaigned in all the shops and tourist vehicles along the Malakkapparai- Valaparai road and distributed stickers and pamphlets.

Precession through the Malakkapparai – Valparai Road

Campaigning the tourists..

Campaign at Kerala Forest Check post and Tamil Nadu Forest Check Post

4. Interaction with TATA Coffee Ltd. Staff and Labourers and future planning The NSS Student Volunteers and members of the Hornbill Foundation had interaction session with Labourers and Staff members of the TATA Coffee Ltd. at the staff club in the Malakkapparai estate in the 10th October 2016. Mr. Prince, Labour Welfare Officer, TATA Coffee Ltd. welcomed the gathering. Mr. Bibin, Assistant Manager addressed the gathering and shared their previous experience in attempts to eradicate plastic from the plantation area. Dr. K.H. Amitha Bachan briefed about present plan of the Hornbill Foundation for management of plastic waste linking all the main stake holders in the region such as Plantation labourers (constitute about 93 % of the population), Shop owners, Panchayath, TATA Coffee Ltd and the Forest Department. The present plan is to train the plantation labourers to make paper and cloth carry bags for one month and make it available in the region especially to the shops and then legal banning of the use of plastic carry bags in the region. Officials of the company and the labourers offered all support for the process. Ms. Veenlakshmi, Staff and Programme officer, MES Asmabi College offered continuous support of the MES Asmabi College for the process in future as well on behalf of the Principal Dr. ajims P. Muhammed. Mr. Aneesh C.S., Mrs. Anitha and Ali Akbar of the Hornbill Foundation shared their views. The plantation labourers also had an interaction session with Dr. k.H. Amitha Bachan regarding health and environment hazards of plastic in the region. The knowledge on the impact of plastic mixed garbage on wildlife and possibility of increased attraction and human animal conflict was new for them.

Mr. Bibin, Assi. Manager, TATA Coffee Ltd. had an interaction session with the college students regarding the history, working, performance and issues of the plantation sector. He has explained their requirements for quality and environment friendly production for developing international standared Tea and their commitment towards that. Ms. Gouthami, MSc Botany Student of the Research and PG Department of Botany, MES Asmabi College mentioned the experience as a great practical one along with their reply speech. Students had a photos session with the labourers and officials as the concluding session. 5. Distribution of Education package to the students of Malakkappara Government UP School and interaction with students Hornbill Foundation had developed a multilingual education package incorporating Adivasi language, Malayalam and English based on a scientific experiment for organic education with the leadership of Dr. K.H. Amitha bachan and the support of Research and PG Department of Botany MES Asmabi College. The package contains multicolour illustrations developed from the immediate environment of the forested region within three two themes books and a work book along with a floor puzzle on the story of the Great Hornbill. This has been accepted in the national level as an important event in the organic education with a student perspective accommodating their worldview. A 50 number of package has been distributed to the Malakkappara Govt. U.P. School, the only available education institution in the region for the marginalised plantation labourers and tribes. It was held at a function organised at the School at the hill top. Mrs. Nandini, Teacher in charge of the school welcomed the gathering, Mr. K. Karupaiyah, Viise President Athirapilly Grama Panchayath presided over the function. Mrs. Thankamma Varghese, President Athirapilly Grama

Panchayath inaugurated the programme while distributing the package to the students and teachers. She mentioned it as a significance contribution by the Hornbill foundation and MES College to the future of the people of the remote area of the Athriapilly Grama Panchayath. Students had an interaction session with college student as a cultural exchange programme. The members of the teaching staff mentioned their heartfelt thanks and mentioned it as a intervention in right time since they are having students from different linguistic community such as Tribes, Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi. They also requested Panchayath President to make avail the support of the Hornbill Foundation to have training for the students and staff in furtherance with the programme.

Mrs. Thankamma Varghese inaugurating the Education package Distribution

6. Nature Education programme The five days of programme has been planned as a nature education camp for the students incorporating their service to the ongoing activities in the Malakkappara region and it was achieved through the support of the Kerala Forest Department, Vazhachal Forest Division, Hornbill Foundation, TATA Coffee Ltd. and Athirapilly Grama Panchayath. The Students one their first day visited the Athriapilly Water Falls, Vazhachal Interpretation centre and had a detailed introduction of the area. Its ecology and issues including proposal of the Athirapilly Hydroelectric project and increased tourism as well as the use of plastic.

Students at Athirapilly Picnic Spot and Nature Walk Mr. Senthil Kumar, member of the VSS, Vana Samrakshana Samithy provide detailed information for the students on the functioning of VSS under the forest department in the region also his experience in the hornbill monitoring with Hornbill foundation for the last one decade. The students had opportunity to visit Kerala Sholayar Dam, Upper Sholayar Dam, Tea Factory and trekking through the Wet evergreen forest. The nature visit was supported with the VSS members and Mr. Senthil kumar Mentioned cares to be taken for a nature trip. Dr. K.H. Amitha Bachan guided students to the beautiful world of nature through introducing different plants, animals, birds and the functions of nature. There was bird monitoring and in the early mornings led by Mr. Ratheesh, hornbill Foundation and students were introduced about conducting census on wildlife including modern techniques.

Nature Education : Visit to Museum at Vazhachal, Map study Students were grouped into five functional groups and every day they were assigned with duties such as Programme and logistics, Reporting, newspaper preparation, Cultural programms etc.

Forest and Tea Plantation Visit Also special groups were formed for tabulation of surveyed data with the leadership of Ms. Gouthami, Ms. Pooja and Ms. Epsika, MSc students and a team for handscript Magazine with the leadership of Mr. Siddarth and Ms. Tincy. All the public programms were conducted by the leadership of NSS Students secretaries Ms. Mubeena, Mr. Shabas, Mr. Fayas and Ms. Ranjitha. Students worked in the late evening and night to complete the magazine, newspaper and reports even though they had tight day programms in the day times. Every day they have conducted cultural programms including Songs, Skits, mime etc on various serious themes. Ms. Veenalakshmi, programme officer led the whole team. 6. Concluding session of the nature education programme Students had a concluding session with Mr. Bobby, Manager, TATA Coffee Ltd. and other staff members on 13th October 2016. Programme started with NSS song, NSS student volunteer secretary Mr. Shabas welcomed the session. Mr. Bobby addressed the students to have their views and experiences for sustainability of the process. He also mentioned years of working experience with Dr. Bachan for environmental consciousness in the region including the extension centre at their vicinity also mentioned the increased tourism as a big menace for the environment and wildlife in the region. Ms. Gouthami, Mr. Vidad, Mr. Siddarth and Ms. Anjitha shared their experience and views on the basis of the four days of experience in the Survey, Campaign, interaction, training and the nature education programme. Dr. K.H. Amitha bachan explained the future plan to go ahead with the training and that will be given at five different clusters on next week onwards. He also mentioned their attempt to bring the support of Panchayath along the roadsides and shops for installing plastic segregation bins, that of TATA in the lanes and Forest Department near to the forest and wildlife important areas. The programme concluded with a special thanks to the all the supporters especially DFO, Range Officer and staff of the Vazhachal Forest Division, Kerala Forest Department, President, Wise President other members of the Athirapilly Grama Panchayath, Manager, Assi. Managers and other staff of the TATA Coffee Ltd., Malakkappara, Principal and Programme Officers of the MES Asmabi College and the Director, Staff and members of the Western Ghats Hornbill Foundation.

Mr. Bobby, Manager TATA Coffee Ltd. and student representative In the Concluding Session

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