A massive cleaning drive to combat plastic pollution inside and along the boundaries of reserve forests in Tiruchi and Pudukottai districts to protect wildlife was carried out by the Forest Department on Saturday.

The drive, which was carried out with Pollution Control Board officials, students, non-governmental organisations and local body representatives saw the collection of over 1,000 kg of plastic waste.

In Tiruchi Forest Division, the plastic clean-up programme was conducted at Butterfly Conservatory at Melur in Srirangam and at the reserve forests in M.R. Palayam, Poigaipatty, Thatchankurichi and Pachamalai. The initiative was aimed at combating the growing threat of plastic waste to forest ecosystems and wildlife with special focus on preventing animal deaths due to consumption of plastic waste and promoting environmental responsibility among the public.

About 1,485 kg of plastic waste was collected inside and along the boundaries of the reserve forests in Tiruchi Forest Division. The collected waste was handed over to the local bodies for safe disposal. The primary objective of the drive was to educate students, youth and local communities on the dangers of plastic pollution particularly its lethal impact on wildlife, a press release from the Forest Department said.

The drive in Pudukottai district was conducted in Narthamalai reserve forest. Around 160 kg of plastic waste was collected and handed over to the local body for safe disposal.  In Thanjavur district, the drive was organised at Pudupattinam beach in Pattukottai Forest Range.