Vadodara Student Transforms Kite Festival Waste into Eco-Friendly Republic Day Flag Sticks
In Vadodara, the vibrant celebrations of Uttarayan, the kite festival, traditionally leave behind a significant environmental burden in the form of discarded bamboo sticks, paper remnants, and hazardous manja threads. This year, however, a 19-year-old student has ingeniously turned this waste into a resource, creating plastic-free flag sticks for Republic Day.
Birthday Initiative Leads to Sustainable Change
Rajasi Dabke, a BBA student at Nirma University in Ahmedabad, marked her birthday on January 17 by launching a unique buy-back program under the Kachare Se Azadi Foundation. Instead of conventional celebrations, she chose to purchase used bamboo kite sticks from local ragpickers at a rate of Rs 50 per kilogram. This initiative not only addresses waste accumulation but also supports the livelihoods of waste collectors.
The collected bamboo is meticulously cleaned and repurposed into eco-friendly flag sticks, effectively replacing the plastic sticks commonly used during Republic Day festivities on January 26. This innovative approach tackles multiple issues simultaneously, reducing landfill pressure and minimizing the threat posed by sharp manja threads to birds, animals, and humans.
Significant Impact and Community Engagement
To date, the foundation has successfully collected approximately 42 kilograms of kite waste, producing nearly 1,800 bamboo flag sticks. These sustainable alternatives are being distributed to village schools in Dumad, Asoj, and Baska, as well as to various institutions including the Exim Club, Saturday Club, and Rotary Club. Additionally, the foundation will distribute flags at the BITA exhibition on Republic Day, where they have established a stall for e-waste collection.
Foundation members Prachi Patni and Rashmika Prajapati played a crucial role in mobilizing the ragpicker community. They educated waste collectors on segregating kite waste and highlighted the dangers associated with manja, which often causes injuries to birds and accidents involving two-wheeler riders.
Environmental and Economic Benefits
Environmental activists have praised the initiative for its smart integration of waste management, livelihood generation, and public awareness. With an estimated two lakh kites flown during the season, the potential for upcycling is substantial. A volunteer associated with the project remarked, "If Khambhat can be a kite production hub, Vadodara can emerge as an upcycling centre."
Rajasi Dabke has announced plans to expand the initiative next year by engaging more ragpickers—estimated to be around 400 in Vadodara—and increasing the buy-back price to further incentivize participation. The project has already gained recognition, with bamboo flag sticks being presented to the state education minister and the Vadodara district development officer.
This student-led effort exemplifies how innovative thinking can transform environmental challenges into opportunities for sustainable development, setting a precedent for future waste management initiatives in urban India.
