Now, get slippers made from recycled plastic in New Town

KOLKATA: Recycled plastic 'hawai chappal', the first-of-its kind in the state will soon be available at the zero waste shop in New Town run by the New Town Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA).

Following Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who only uses 'hawai chappal', the footwear has become immensely popular particularly among young women.

A workshop was held to create awareness among people so that they do not throw plastic on the road, which often clogs underground drains causing massive waterlogging in different areas.

The event was held at Rabindra Tirtha recently. Throwing plastic on the street is a global problem and environment policemen are deployed to collect plastic bottles and bags that are thrown on the beaches in the West.

Two hundred home workers joined the awareness drive. Experts talked on the segregation of waste at source and the home workers were asked to put the plastic inside the dry waste bins.

NKDA has given two bins in each household to keep dry and wet waste separately. But despite that, there is a tendency among people to litter plastic on the street.

The home workers were given a pair of 'hawai chappals' made out of recycled plastic.

Debashis Sen, chairman NKDA said the 'hawai chappals' have been made by a shoe manufacturing factory in Topsia from plastic which were collected from New Town.