Trapped in Plastic

There lived two best friends, Vihari and Swastarika, in a busy city. One day, they went to school as usual. Their teacher announced a competition where every student had to write an essay about life in a village.

Vihari had a brother who lived in a village, but Swastarika had never visited one and didn't know anyone who lived there. She felt disappointed because she had no idea what village life was really like.

On their way home, Swastarika asked Vihari, "Can you tell me what life in a village is like?"

Vihari replied, "I have a brother who lives there. I'll call him and ask. I've only seen him a few times on video calls, but I've never actually visited his village. I've always wanted to go there, but my parents are too busy to take me."

Swastarika said, "Why travel all the way there? Just make a phone call and ask him. That should be enough."

Vihari smiled and replied, "A call is just a call. We can't truly experience village life through a screen. If we really want to write a good essay, we should see it with our own eyes and understand how people live."

Swastarika agreed but asked, "That makes sense. But where will we get the money to travel all the way to the village?"

Vihari thought for a moment and said, "The Sankranti holidays are coming soon. Let's tell our parents that this project carries the highest marks. Maybe they'll allow us to visit my brother's village."

After convincing their parents, the two friends set off on their journey.

When they reached the village, they were amazed. They saw beautiful green fields, fresh air, open houses, birds singing, and farmers working happily. It was peaceful and refreshing.

But something unexpected caught their attention.

Plastic waste was scattered across the fields. Plastic bags floated in the rivers that supplied water to the farms. As they walked along the riverbank, they saw a heartbreaking sight—a fish was trapped inside a plastic bag. It struggled desperately to escape, but after fighting for a long time, it could not survive.

The girls stood silently, deeply saddened.

Swastarika said softly, "What if one day our lives become like that fish—trapped in plastic with no way out?"

Vihari nodded and said, "When people throw plastic into rivers, it pollutes the water. The polluted water reaches the soil and crops. Over time, tiny pieces called microplastics enter our food and water. If this continues, even our health and survival will be at risk."

The girls realized that while village life was full of beauty, human carelessness was slowly destroying nature.

For the competition, they wrote:

"Village life is filled with beautiful nature, fresh air, and hardworking people. But it is also affected by man-made pollution. Plastic waste harms rivers, animals, soil, and even the food we eat. If we do not act responsibly today, we may one day find ourselves trapped like the fish, struggling for survival. Let us protect our environment by reducing plastic pollution and keeping our villages clean."

They ended their essay with a simple but powerful message:

"Be responsible today for a better tomorrow.

Evolve through education.

Protect nature for our future."

Thank You.