With the depletion of forests and ever-increasing cost of acquiring bamboo, a collective effort is being made to use water hyacinth as an alternative. North-eastern region of India abounds in water resources and water hyacinth happens to be a common feature of ponds and lakes. Being an aquatic plant, it’s amply available in rural areas and considered harmful to aquatic life underneath.
Certain organizations have come up with a novel idea to utilize this plant in an eco-friendly manner and generate a source of livelihood for rural poor. The stems of water hyacinth when dried, can work in same way as cane. They can be hand-weaved to make bags, decoration pieces, furniture and other handicraft items. The products made might range between Rs. 20 to Rs. 20000.
As the flattening of dry hyacinth is tedious and time- consuming, machines are being provided in various villages to ease the task. With the collective participation of artisans, designers and manufacturers, waste like water hyacinth can bear fruits in traditional lifestyle product market.
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