Mizoram is on a mission to preserve and protect its green cover from the hazardous use of plastics.
A day-long camp was held recently in the State to cut down the usage of plastic bags and to make paper bags and use them instead in abundance.
Even the Aizawl Municipal Corporation is considering banning the use of plastic bags in Mizoram.
A self-help group consisting of women in the city came up with an initiative to make paper bags with the help of newspapers and other waste materials of different shapes and sizes.
The popularity of these hand-made eco-friendly paper bags is giving a new ray of hope to many people especially women.
There are around 630 self-help groups who are working tirelessly to make these eco-friendly paper bags and popularize them among the people.
These self-help groups are also conducting workshops in schools where they teach the children to make these paper bags also create awareness about the hazards of plastic and polythene bags.
Lessons on cleanliness are also imparted to these students and also urging the people to maintain cleanliness and avoid the use of plastic and polythene bags.
These self help groups in Aizwal who are working persistently to maintain cleanliness and hygiene by undertaking various steps including the making of paper bags.
After making these paper bags, the same are distributed among the shopkeepers to create awareness about the hazards of plastic.
These self- help groups are working under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Urban Livelihoods Mission, which is one of the flagship programmes of the Central Government, under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
This mission is implemented by Urban Development & Poverty Alleviation Department.
In Aizawl area, under DAY-NULM, the self-groups are looked after by city mission manager K. Zothanzuali.
National Urban Livelihoods Mission is implemented in eight districts of Mizoram.