VIJAYAWADA: In a first, Andhra Pradesh is raising anti-plastic awareness by offering free vegetables for returned plastic bottles and bags at one of the Rythu Bazaars in Tenali in Guntur district. Consumers would get free vegetables of the same weight as the plastic waste they return. Officials said it would also help reusable jute and cotton bags.
Tenali MLA Annabat-huni Siva Kumar and municipality officers launched the programme with the barter system in effect at one of the four Rythu Bazaars at Burri-palem Road on Thursday and Friday. The initiative would be extended to the other three Rythu Bazaars soon.
Tenali Municipal Health officer B.V. Ramana said the campaign against ‘single-use plastic carry bags’ had led to traders no longer selling those bags.
Traders are offering cheap and medium-priced vegetables for the barter. Nearly 50-90 empty water bottles will weigh one kilogram but the majority bring 250 gm and 500 gm of waste plastic for vegetables.
Siva Kumar said that the exchange offer had good response the past two days.
