Nagaland men recycle to save environment, make basins, buckets from tyres

Dimapur: Rows of basins, buckets, flower pots and more, made from used tyres, sold along the highway in Dimapur's Burma Camp area, indicates that nothing goes wasted if one is creative.

Salim is a perfect example to that!

When he came to Nagaland 20 years ago without any work, Salim's earning livelihood was in a muddled.

However, things turned easier after he learnt the art of making buckets and basins from used tyres.

He said, "I came to Dimapur and learnt how to make basins and buckets from scrape or waste tyres. Somehow, I can manage my family today."

Today, he sits in his workshop near the highway with a small sharp knife, slicing the tyres and manufacturing his own products.

The price of the bucket ranges from Rs.100- 200, according to its size, while a basin costs around Rs.150-600. He easily earns Rs.400-500 a day, by making 10 buckets or basins for sale.

Like Salim, Mahamud Mazur Rahman also purchase scrape tyres for Rs.30-50 per piece and accurately slices them before he puts into shape. This way he feeds his family of six.

The recycled tyre products, though rugged in looks, serve well for rough use and is more durable than the classy company plastic tyres.

These recycle tyre buckets are basically used for fething water from well, basins for feeding domestic animals.

"Demands are more from the rural people who use it to pull water from their wells. They also purchase the basins to feed their domestic animals and to wash clothes," a seller says.

Special mention may be made here that every family in Dimapur digs their own well.

On that note, with increase in the number of automobiles, used tyres have caused serious threat to the environment, with government finding no obvious way out to dispose it.

Thanks to Salim and Rahman, they not only make a living for their own, but save the environment too.