In Samdrup Jongkhar’s Langchenphu Gewog, areca nut leaf sheaths are being transformed into biodegradable plates and cups. These eco-friendly alternatives are replacing plastic at celebrations. This shift has helped reduce pollution and promote a cleaner and greener community.
Without the areca nut plate and cup-manufacturing unit, the areca nut sheaths were discarded openly.
Now, they are collected and processed into biodegradable plates, cups, and spoons, helping in reducing waste and keeping the environment clean.
“When the barks are kept openly in the field, rainwater is stored inside the bark making mosquitoes breed. Now barks are converted into plates and cups where we can sell bark too for some income,” said Prem Bahadur Rai, a resident of Langchenphu Gewog.
“Before we used plastic plates and cups during celebrations, now areca nut plates and cups are made here. So, for the environment, we decided to use areca nut plates and cups,” said Ishwor Kumar Bhattarai, another resident.
The Langchenphu Gewog administration invested Nu 1.4 M to establish the manufacturing unit in 2019. However, it remained inactive until last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Currently, a group of youth run the unit but struggle to meet the growing demand for areca nut plates and cups.
“Making areca nut plates and cups is profitable but currently, we have only one set of machines. So, we are not able to fulfil the demand, we have requested the government to provide us with an additional machine on a cost-sharing basis,” said Phurba Dorji, unit operator.
The unit currently produces only 250 plates daily, which is insufficient to meet the demand. Besides the local orders, the unit receives orders from the neighbouring Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh.
The Langchenphu Gewog administration is collaborating with relevant agencies to provide additional machines on a cost-sharing basis.
Despite the limited capacity, the unit is optimistic about its growth and its potential in protecting the environment.
Kinley Wangchuk, Samdrup Jongkhar
Edited by Sonam Pem
