Volunteers and Forest Department staff with the plastic waste collected from Valparai Road on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Around 800 kg of plastic waste discarded along Valparai Road in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) were removed on Sunday.Forest Department staff from the Valparai forest range of ATR and volunteers of the non-governmental organisation, Western Ghats Forest Conservation Team, conducted the cleanliness drive between Attakatti and the 36th hairpin bend of Pollachi – Valparai Road.The staff and volunteers, under the leadership of Valparai Forest Range Officer Suresh Krishnan, also removed empty liquor bottles discarded by people along the route, which is known for regular movement of wild animals. Broken bottles and pieces of glasses were also removed along the stretch.A release said that the plastic waste and glass bottles strewn by tourists and others on the sides of the hill route posed a huge threat to the environment and wildlife.The Department and the NGO also appealed to tourists to dispose of plastic waste and empty glass bottles in designated trash bins instead of dumping them in public areas.The waste removed during the drive were handed over to the local body for proper disposing. Published - August 10, 2026 08:27 pm IST
