Now, an award for rag-pickers

Lauding the efforts of rag-pickers who segregate and recycle waste in cities, the Centre has decided to roll out an award for them starting next year, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said here on Wednesday.

“Rag-picking is an informal but an important sector. Rag-pickers toil hard all day long only to segregate and recycle waste materials generated by cities.

“In order to recognise their hard work and their commitment towards keeping the society clean, the Environment Ministry has decided to roll out an award for them next year onwards,” Javadekar told reporters here.

He was addressing a press conference detailing the achievements of his ministry over the past year.

Javadekar said that along with an award specifically for rag-pickers, the government will also work towards improving their health and living standards.

On Mumbai’s 35-km long coastal project that will connect Nariman Point to Kandivali in the suburbs, Javadekar said there will be minimum reclamation of coastal land and no commercial activity will be permitted on reclaimed land.

“We have put forth conditions that marine life should not be hit by the project. The State government has also assured us that the sanctity of the high tide will be maintained,” he said.

Nursery programme

Javadekar said his ministry plans to start a school nursery programme for young students, where they will be given seeds and a specifically-made bag to sow it.

“They will be asked to nurture the plants for two-three years and later, they can take it home and plant it either in their houses or in the vicinity,” he said.

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