How many of us casually throw plastic water bottles in random places, inside railway stations? The thought probably stems from the feeling “I am leaving this, but someone else will pick it up.”
Well now, you can dispose of plastic bottles responsibly and what’s more—earn money while doing so. According to a report in the Financial Express, the South Western Railway, in an effort to remove the ‘scourge’ of plastic waste, has set up bottle crushers at many railway stations under the Bengaluru division including the KSR City Station, Yeshwantpur Station, Cantonment Station and Krishnarajpuram Station.
What’s more, each bottle you drop into the crusher will earn you ₹ 5, in your e-wallet via PayTM. So, drop a bottle into the crusher, enter your mobile number on the machine, and earn your money!
RS Saxena, the Divisional Railway Manager (Bengaluru Railway Division), inaugurated the facility at the KSR Railway Station, on World Environment Day. He mentioned that the Railways has tied up with a private firm, to set up automatic bottle crushing machines in major railway stations across Bengaluru division. This step is to prevent travellers from throwing used plastic bottles on the tracks, or in the station premises.
South Western Railway’s Mysuru Railway Station, and the railway stations of Ahmedabad, Pune and Mumbai, already have these bottle crushing machines.
The machine is the size of a refrigerator and can crush around 5000 bottles daily. Once the bottles are dropped inside the machine, they will be completely crushed and released as fine plastic pieces. The crushed plastic can be sold as scrap in the market, or, as in the case of the Western Railway Zone, used to make bags and t-shirts.
You may also like:- 5 Ways the Railways Went Green, Efficient and Sustainable in 2017
This green initiative comes close on the heels of others, like running a railway station on solar power, or introducing e-tickets or doing away with reservation charts. Kudos to the Indian Railways for its efforts to become more sustainable.
(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)
Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
NEW: Click here to get positive news on WhatsApp!
If you found our stories insightful, informative, or even just enjoyable, we invite you to consider making a voluntary payment to support the work we do at The Better India. Your contribution helps us continue producing quality content that educates, inspires, and drives positive change.
Choose one of the payment options below for your contribution-
By paying for the stories you value, you directly contribute to sustaining our efforts focused on making a difference in the world. Together, let's ensure that impactful stories continue to be told and shared, enriching lives and communities alike.
Thank you for your support. Here are some frequently asked questions you might find helpful to know why you are contributing?