Port Blair, Sept. 16:  The Andaman Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ACCI) welcome the initiative taken by A&N Administration towards Solid Waste Management and Swatch Bharat Abhyan to keep the Islands clean.

Keeping the above objective in mind, the Andaman Chamber of Commerce & Industry  signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with M/s Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt Ltd. (HCCB) for environmentally safe disposal of Plastic Waste from top two tourists destinations viz. Shaheed Dweep (Neil Island) and Swaraj Dweep (Havelock Island).  Collect, compact, pack and transport to Chennai via Port Blair for safe disposal at recycling units.  All costs towards manpower, freight, etc. will be jointly borne by ACCI and HCCB.  Create development of a primary and secondary logistics model and establishment of necessary infrastructure like vehicles and manpower.  Collect all kinds of plastics from dump yard at Shaheed and Swaraj Dweeps.

As per MoU there is great scope in creating a multi stakeholder platform (Trade bodies, Panchayats, Corporates, Community, Hotel & Resorts, Transport Service providers) to address the plastic challenge in A&N islands.

The Project Shall also work with the Administration on capacity building and strengthening of the waste collection system, delivering awareness programs and also develop appropriate programs to prevent plastic reaching the oceans and marine plastic debris.

Accordingly on our request all hotels were stopped use of PET bottles and supply drinking water in glass bottles on free of cost.  Also soap, shampoo, moisture, conditioner, etc. were replaced with refillable dispenser and using alternative materials made of corn, bamboo, etc. in replace of stirrer, plastic plates, spoon, glass, etc. 

With the assistance of Make My Trip Foundation five water ATMs will be  installed at Saheed Dweep one each at Jetty, Bharatpur Beach, Lakshanpur Beach, Sitapur Beach and Market area which will be handed over to Panchayat and  run by local women.  The guest can refill the water in their own container at a nominal price. Forty dustbins will also placed at the beaches of Shaheed Dweep. To maintain such bins the salary for two manpower of Panchcyat will also be borne by Make My Trip Foundation and an undertaking has been handed over to Pradhan, Saheed Dweep. 

Two blocks of toilets, wash room, locker & charging room will be provided at Bharatpur Beach.  Signages and Information Boards will also be provided at places of touorist importance all over Shaheed Dweep.