Ahmedabad, Gujarat, 26 February 26: In a step towards addressing plastic pollution and restoring urban water bodies, HDB Financial Services (HDBFS) in collaboration with the Centre for Environment Education (CEE), has launched a Trash Shield initiative in Ahmedabad through the installation of innovative trash barriers and community-led waste management interventions.
Commenting on HDB Financial Services’ support for the project, Ashish Ghatnekar, Chief People & Operations, HDB Financial Services said “Sustainability for us goes beyond environmental protection it is about building systems that enable communities to participate in preserving shared resources. By supporting the Trash Shield initiative in Ahmedabad, HDB Financial Services is contributing to cleaner waterways while encouraging responsible waste practices at the community level. Collaborating with CEE allows us to combine infrastructure solutions with awareness and behaviour change, creating lasting impact for urban ecosystems.”
Speaking on the initiative, Ms. Preeti R. Kanaujia, Senior Programme Director, CEE said, “Urban canals and drainage systems are often the first point where plastic waste enters our river ecosystems. Through this collaboration with HDB Financial Services, we aim to demonstrate a practical and replicable solution that combines infrastructure, community participation, and behavioural change to tackle plastic pollution at source.”
The initiative’s aim is to capture plastic garbage and floating debris in Ahmedabad’s crucial canal areas, such as Godhavi Canal and Moraiya Canal, which are now affected by an uncontrolled inflow of solid waste. Through the deployment of smart trash barriers at strategic points, the project seeks to prevent floating debris from moving downstream into larger water bodies.
The Trash Barriers may be easily installed across streams of different widths and flow conditions because they are made locally, affordable, modular, and long-lasting. Collected waste is manually removed at regular intervals, segregated, and transferred to authorised Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) for sorting, recycling, or safe disposal, in coordination with local civic bodies. This approach strengthens local waste management systems while preventing waste leakage into natural ecosystems.
The initiative prevents plastic waste at specified locations by an estimated 50% while keeping plastic debris out of important rivers and marine environments. It helps restore aquatic habitats by enabling the collection of 80–100 tonnes of plastic and debris each year and improving water quality metrics by about 30%. Additionally, the effort lowers the risk of flooding and promotes healthier urban water systems by eliminating drain clogs brought on by waste accumulation.
The Trash Shield initiative has been rolled out across multiple locations in India, with canal and waterbody restoration projects already executed across Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra.
