SHG members create artwork from waste

Bhubaneswar: Why waste municipal trash? The women self-help group (SHG) members who work at waste processing centres couldn’t agree more.From the varieties of dry waste generated on a daily basis, some art-living creative SHG members, who work at the material recovery facility (MRF), where dry waste is processed, have set an example by turning the daily trash into beautiful art and home décor pieces.As an experiment, the SHG members at Lingaraj waste processing unit (MRF) have used their dexterity in carving out pots, planters, waterfall, kid house, footmate from the trash. “The Swachh karmis have made the beautiful decorative pieces which are now on display at the Lingaraj waste unit. This they are doing under the concept of RRR — reduce, recycle and reuse. Under this concept, we don’t allow the usable trash to be further processed. We rather take them out for use as materials for making art pieces,” said BMC assistant commissioner N Ganesh Babu. He said discarded thermocol, abandoned water pipes, used clothes, tyres and different shapes of rejected plastic containers are used for making art pieces. “Transforming the waste into beautiful objects generates more interest in us to deal with waste. While we are enjoying doing it, we have been able to lend an aesthetic look to the waste processing site. Maybe the authorities think over monetising it later,” said a SHG member Sasmita Ojha.BMC sources said the art pieces may be sold later at some kiosks like the manure, BMC officials said.