Puducherry government draws up action plan to curb plastic pollution in Thengaithittu backwaters

Officials from the PPCC carrying out a characterisation study of single-use plastic waste collected from the Thengaithittu backwaters in Puducherry | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement The Puducherry Pollution Control Committee (PPCC), in association with the Public Works Department (PWD), Puducherry Municipality, and Green Warrior, the firm entrusted with the task of managing solid waste in the Union Territory, has drawn up an action plan to prevent single-use plastic waste from entering the Ariyankuppam river and the Thengaithittu backwaters.Representatives from the government agencies recently conducted an inspection of the Thengaithittu backwaters to formulate measures for the control and management of plastic pollution.The move follows a news report published in The Hindudated September 7, 2026, highlighting how single-use plastic waste flowing through the Uppar drain and two major stormwater drains in Puducherry had been polluting the Ariyankuppam river, choking mangroves and threatening the fragile ecosystem.Carry bags a major contributorAs part of the exercise, the PPCC carried out a characterisation study of plastic waste collected from the backwaters to identify the major types of litter and likely source of pollution. The study found that carry bags formed the largest component of the waste, accounting for 23.5%.Wood constituted 17% of the waste, followed by PET water bottles at 7.5%, liquor bottles at 6.5%, and packaging covers at 5.5%, indicating the continued presence of single-use plastic and beverage-related waste in the waterbody and the adjoining mangrove ecosystem.According to N. Ramesh, Member Secretary of PPCC: “It was decided that plastic waste trapped in the boom barrier installed in the backwaters would be removed once every three months by the Irrigation Division of the PWD. The waste would then be transported by solid waste management firm to the Kurumbapet dumpyard for use in a pyrolysis process to convert plastic waste into fuel oil.”The PPCC will intensify inspections based on the findings of the waste characterisation study to identify sources contributing to the pollution and initiate regulatory and enforcement action, he said.Though units involved in the manufacture of carry bags have been identified and shut down, the study found that the use of prohibited carry bags has not been fully contained in Puducherry. An official said that such bags were being brought into the Union Territory from neighbouring States through parcel services.The authorities have, therefore, decided to intensify inspections at parcel service agencies and marketplaces to check the movement, sale, and use of prohibited carry bags. The action plan also proposes setting up a collection system for used water bottles at locations with heavy tourist footfall in Puducherry.Bottle buyback mechanismThe authorities, in coordination with the Excise Department, will also develop a mechansim for the buyback and collection of used liquor bottles. These measures are expected to complement efforts to address the plastic waste burden in the Ariyankuppam river and prevent litter from accumulating in the ecologically sensitive Thengaithittu mangroves, the official added. Published - September 22, 2026 03:02 pm IST