Padmavati Prabhu

Panaji

In a unique initiative aimed at reducing cloth waste and combating the usage of single-use plastic (SUP), the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) has decided to implement ‘Amchi Poti’ programme in the city municipal market.

Under the programme, old, unusable clothes will be collected from the citizens of Panaji through collection drives. “The clothes, instead of letting them becoming waste, will be upcycled into cloth bags,” said Ferdin Sylvester, project manager for ‘Amchi Poti’.

These bags will be provided to the people in Panaji market under a deposit refund initiative as an alternative to SUP bags. In the first phase, the CCP plans to introduce 10,000 bags.

“The customer will pay a small amount as a deposit for the cloth bag. This deposit will encourage people to value the bags because of the monetary investment and encourage them to bring back the bags to get a refund. On getting the deposit back the usage of the bag will be free,” said Sylvester.

He said that in case of any wear and tear as well, the customers will be able to get a new bag for the same deposit or get the existing bag repaired or get a refund of the deposit.

“It is expected that this will help reduce textile and single-use plastic waste simultaneously,” he said.

On an average, CCP generates 20 tonnes of dry waste every day, of which nearly three tonnes is plastic waste.

Additionally, the project will be implemented with an objective to promote reusable cloth bags, support local self-help groups (SHGs) by engaging women members as tailors and raise awareness about cloth waste, SUP, and related environmental
issues.

Sylvester said regular awareness sessions will be conducted to bring a behavioural change in the citizens and show them how their positive action can contribute to creating cleaner and waste-free environment and help Panaji market become a zero-waste market.