REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, MATARAM -- The West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) administration is collaborating with twelve inspiring women from the "Women in Action" group to clean up waste and tackle the marine debris in North Lombok's popular tourism destination, Gili Trawangan.

The Women in Action group, of which one of the initiators was Indian Ambassador to Indonesia Neeru Singh, comprises six Indonesian women and six international women.

"We have roped in six Indonesian women of change who work in different areas but are bringing about a fantastic breakthrough," Neeru Singh stated during her meeting with NTB Governor TGH M. Zainul Majdi here on Tuesday (16/6).

One of the Indonesian women of change is Febrianti Khairunnisa.

Febrianti, a resident of Lombok Island, has been working to increase women's participation in economy and to fight environmental damage in the region.

She established a trash bank as a solution to overcome the waste problem in Lombok, particularly in Gili Trawangan, and involved some local female residents.

Febrianti and her fellow women of change had collected data on the trash volume in Gili Trawangan. As per the data, during the low tourism season, around 17,718 kilograms of trash per day was produced in Gili Trawangan, while during the peak season, the number might increase to 20 thousand kilograms per day.

"Gili Trawangan is one of the most beautiful islands. Therefore, this island should be maintained and preserved for the future generations. We are upset if the beauty of Gili Trawangan is tarnished by the wastes resulting from tourism activities. We along with 12 other women will try to keep Gili Trawangan clean from trash in order to preserve it," Ambassador Neeru Singh emphasized.

The ambassador has urged the NTB governor to prepare a land for waste management.

Moreover, the local administration was urged to pass a regional law, which regulates mandatory waste management by hotels and restaurants operating in Gili Trawangan.

Zainul Majdi has responded positively to the program.

"We are aware that Gili Trawangan is a very special island, and moreover, the number of tourists visiting the island is increasing from time to time. Tourism will definitely create a waste problem. That is why waste management is very important," the governor affirmed.

"I want Gili Trawangan to be cleaner and more comfortable for everyone," the governor said.

Gili Trawangan along with Gili Meno and Gili Air are an archipelago of three islands of Gili, located at the northwest coast of Lombok.

The islands are a popular destination for tourists seeking a remote island experience.

The Gili Islands are also a popular diving destination due to the abundance of marine life and scenic coral formations.

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