Hyderabad: A simple idea, along with strong determination, has sparked a big change in Siddipet municipality. People in all 43 wards of the area have stopped using single-use plastic items. Instead, they now use steel utensils, which are offered at prices 50% cheaper than plastic products.
Women self-help groups in the municipality, with the support of a voluntary organization called Bala Vikasa and the municipality itself, have set up ‘Steel Banks’ in every ward. These banks provide steel utensils to residents. The initiative was also supported by former Minister T Harish Rao, who helped secure funding through corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
Plastic, especially single-use plastic, has become a serious problem, as it is often dumped carelessly and burned, leading to increased pollution. The idea for the steel bank started during the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time, many people were using disposable plastic items, which created a large amount of waste. To combat this, the municipality encouraged people to switch to steel utensils instead of plastic. At first, steel utensils were given away for free, but later, they were made available at cheaper prices than plastic alternatives.
Deepti Nagaraj, a councillor in Siddipet Municipality, explained that the Dwcra resource persons were given funding to create their own steel banks. Initially, the initiative was rolled out in a few wards, but now it is being implemented in all 43 wards of the municipality.
The municipality also made efforts to raise awareness about the harmful effects of plastic. They imposed penalties on residents who refused to stop using plastic, which encouraged more people to switch to steel utensils. The civic authorities also enforced strict rules requiring residents to separate dry and wet waste. If residents failed to follow these rules, civic workers would throw the trash back in front of their houses, which forced people to change their habits.
The steel utensils are managed by women who go door-to-door, informing residents about the availability of steel items. Each ward has enough utensils for events with up to 1,000 people. These utensils include glasses, plates, bowls, and tiffin plates. The cost is very low, with tea cups costing 25 paise and plates costing just 1 rupee. The women in self-help groups handle the supply, collect charges, and run the business. This initiative has reduced plastic waste in the wards by 204 kilograms each month.
The total cost of the steel bank project was Rs 102 lakh, with Rs 3 lakh spent on each unit. The funds were provided by Bala Vikasa under CSR. On average, the project generates Rs 2.72 lakh in income per month across all units.
The steel bank initiative has received praise, even being mentioned in the Economic Survey presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. It has generated a lot of interest and is now being implemented in other municipalities across the country.
