PRAYAGRAJ, March 13 -- A pilot project to clean the Sai river has been launched in Pratapgarh district, marking an innovative step in curbing river pollution. The project traps floating waste using a prototype collection system made from discarded plastic bottles.

Under the initiative, used plastic bottles are tied together with ropes, plastic nets and bamboo to create floating barriers-commonly referred to as "biofences" or "trash booms"-across selected stretches of the river and nearby drains. These net-like structures trap floating plastic and other solid waste carried by the current, preventing it from drifting further downstream, officials said.

They added that the low-cost floating barriers not only help control pollution but also...