Five IAS officers who have launched eco-friendly initiatives in India
The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is the most prestigious and sought-after Civil Service of the country. The job of an IAS officer is tough and needs great commitment. However, there are a number of dedicated IAS officers who, apart from carrying out their duties, are also striving to make the planet greener. Here are five IAS officers who launched eco-friendly initiatives in India.
Mir Mohammed Ali, a 2011-batch Kerala-cadre IAS officer, helped the state's Kannur become the country's first plastic-free district in 2017 in five months. Apart from phasing out plastic carry bags and other items, the then Kannur Collector also promoted handloom bags as an eco-friendly alternative, thereby helping weavers. Last year, he was appointed the Director of Kerala's Suchitwa Mission that oversees waste management schemes.
Megh Nidhi Dahal, a 2015-batch Assam-Meghalaya IAS officer, created a zero-plastic government office in Assam. During his stint as North Salmara's Sub-Divisional Officer, he launched a zero-plastic drive in his office. Minimizing plastic use, he replaced plastic and thermocol glasses/bowls/plates with earthen pots, glass utensils, cornstarch bowls, and other reusable or biodegradable ones. Dahal became the Staff Officer to Assam's Chief Secretary last year.
District Magistrate of Odisha's Keonjhar, Ashish Thakare, launched a green initiative to curb plastic waste as well as empower tribal women. The 2011-batch IAS officer helped the district administration cut down plastic waste in the Collectorate by replacing plastic items/cutlery with traditional and sustainable alternatives made from sal leaves. Tribal women, who manufacture sal leaf cups/plates, have also been employed for the eco-friendly initiative.
Hari Chandana Dasari spearheaded a "green revolution" in Hyderabad by launching several recycling initiatives and waste management drives. When the 2010-batch IAS officer was a Zonal Commissioner of GHMC, many parts of Hyderabad received eco-friendly makeovers with recycled plastic paver tiles and roofing sheets, upcycled furniture made from tires and oil-drums, plastic bottle bus-stops, etc. Dasari was recently appointed the Collector of Telangana's Narayanpet.
Rohini Bhajibhakare, a 2008-batch Tamil Nadu-cadre IAS officer, launched an eco-friendly initiative for making the Salem Collectorate a plastic waste-free campus in 2017, as a prelude to making Salem a plastic waste-free district. During Bhajibhakare's stint as Salem's Collector, she banned plastic/polythene items on the Collectorate campus. She has been appointed as the Deputy Secretary of Tamil Nadu's Department of Higher Education last year.
