In a quiet corner of Tripura, a small environmental leap has been taken that will cause big impacts. IFS officer Prasada Rao has eliminated plastic from the ubiquitous jhhadu (broom) handles and replaced them with eco-friendly bamboo alternatives.
Speaking with Indian Masterminds, Mr. Rao explained about his replace-plastic-with-bamboo model.
THE INITIATIVE
It all started in the year 2020 when Mr. Rao and his team embarked on a project under the Van Dhan Vikas Karyakram, meaning ‘Forest Treasure Betterment Scheme.’ The objective was simple: to harness the power of nature’s resources and create a widely-used commodity without harming the environment.
Bamboo emerged as the ideal solution. Not only was it abundantly available, but it also grew rapidly, with some species able to grow an astounding 35 inches per day.
EMPLOYMENT TO TRIBALS
The impact of the project extended far beyond the replacement of plastic brooms. Around 1000 tribal households found meaningful employment through this initiative. They became an integral part of the entire process, from bamboo procurement to assembling and packaging the broom handles. The sense of purpose and economic empowerment that these tribal communities experienced was immeasurable.
As word spread about the bamboo brooms, demand started pouring in from across the country. The brooms were not only environment-friendly but also economically competitive, priced between Rs. 35 to Rs. 40, significantly cheaper than their plastic counterparts. This affordability was made possible by the efficient and inclusive business model created by Mr. Rao’s team.
SETBACKS
The officer shared that they encountered a setback with the initial batch of one lakh bamboo-handled brooms that they marketed, as they didn’t receive any repeat orders. “Our previous policy of not accepting orders below 100 pieces made it evident that the ordering process was cumbersome for potential buyers. However, due to transportation constraints, we couldn’t offer orders for fewer than 100 pieces,” he added.
Secondly, the person in charge of marketing the product informed that initially they marketed the product with enthusiasm, but going again to the field and encouraging people to buy the product is wearisome.
Furthermore, they discovered that because of the tying of the bamboo with jute rope, some of the handles were prone to cracking, leading to customer dissatisfaction. Thus these customers refrained from purchasing the product again.
“Taking this feedback into serious consideration, we made significant efforts to improve the product. We developed a more flexible and durable bamboo-handled broom, which has proved to be successful,” the officer informed Indian Masterminds.
Recently, they have proudly launched this upgraded model in the presence of the Chief Minister, and are now gearing up to expand production and commence widespread distribution.
SUCCESS
Moreover, the success of this improved model has inspired other states like Manipur and Mizoram to adopt and market it as well. Encouraged by this response, the officer has ventured into diversifying their product range by introducing bamboo bottles, vegetable choppers, watches, and various other utility products made from bamboo.
Mr. Rao, who is the MD of Tripura Rehabilitation Plantation Corporation Limited (TRPC), now also holds the additional charge of CEO, TRLM and MD, NULM Agartala. He said that this is helping him to get the mandate easily and to further scale up the products and their operation.
Through this simple yet impactful social initiative, he and his team are making a positive difference by providing a sustainable alternative to plastic and improving the livelihoods of tribal communities at the same time.
