Water hyacinth and water moss have been choking many water bodies in the country, causing serious ecological and economic problems. How can we solve the issues of the water hyacinth?
Priyanka kapoorSapling
Water hyacinth, scientifically known as Eicchronia carssipes, is a weed from the Amazon basin in South America. The plant species has become a nuisance in water bodies, the fast-growing plant is invasive and negatively impacts the aquatic flora and fauna, thus the environment at large.
However, to solve the issues of the water hyacinth, a group of young women in Assam have converted the organic waste into an opportunity by turning them into environment-friendly, biodegradable yoga mats. Since February 2021, six women have been working to make it a source of livelihood and revive the lake to its old glory.
Their experiments, while exploring multiple options, is what led them to make yoga mats. The mats are made by removing the water hyacinth from the water body and sun-drying them. About 12 kilos of water hyacinth shrink to 2-3 kilos. Once they are dried, their stems are used to weave between cotton threads to make these mats.
Since October 2018, the enterprise is supporting the women in the region through initiatives like creating fiber out of water hyacinth further recycling the invasive aquatic plant.