Vadodara: The story book for school children in the Odepur Chhota will soon be published in environmentally friendly handmade papers made of banana stems planted in this tribal area.
This initiative will open a new path of sustainability in publishing after a successful pilot project makes handmade color paper from a banana stem.
The Adivasi Academy in Tejgadh in the Odepur Chhota has begun designing stories in the form of Pithora paintings that will be published in the form of these books.
Handmade paper from Banana Stem is the result of an experiment carried out by the Academy Internship during a pandemic.
“I have worked on a handmade paper in the past and because the academy is exploring making threads or paper from the waste of banana stems, I start researching and making the paper,” Ravi Raj Internship said.
He now trains men how to make these papers.
“At present, we design this storybook, but in the long run, the idea is to train banana farmers in this region to make banana paper.
We will train them and give them technology to make it so they find new livelihoods from waste thrown away without investing Money, “said Dr.
Madan Meena, director of the academy.
Chhota udepur has banana farm in abundance and after one season produces results, plants discarded.
“While other plants decompose quickly, banana plants need a very long time to decompose and they don’t even burn easily,” said Raj.
Banana paper can be used for documentation and archiving because of its tensile strength more than other paper.
“There are various paper use besides writing.
Ponsors made from plant waste can be used for packaging, interior and art decorations,” said Raj to Toi.