Nurture good waste disposal culture, Minister tells civic bodies

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, Kerala: A two-day event was organised by the Kerala Solid Waste Management Project (KSWMP) titled, ‘Maattam’ (Change), as part of a workshop series planned in four zones across the state for the elected representatives of urban local bodies and implementation officers.

M B Rajesh, Minister of Local Self-Government, Government of Kerala, attended the event and stressed the importance of public participation in solid waste management plans. He also urged the civic bodies to cultivate a proper waste disposal culture among the public.

Rajesh said, “It was primarily the responsibility of local self-government institutions to foster the habit of making proper use of facilities like dustbins after preliminary segregation of waste.”

The workshop will analyse the shortcomings in solid waste management in each corporation found as part of the KSWMP data collection. Based on the data, actions will be taken on the sub-projects to be implemented in the short term. The workshop will also set up the platform for taking up a master plan by corporations for attaining sustainability in waste management.

In his inaugural speech, Rajesh urged the civic bodies to collaborate with the public while devising waste management plans. He also directed them to thoroughly utilize the funds earmarked for the projects promptly and properly.

The Minister suggested that green technology should be leveraged to achieve cent percent results in source–level management of biodegradable waste and doorstep collection of non-biodegradable waste which the state is yet to achieve.

In the next phase, the workshop series would be conducted in other zones including Thrissur, Ernakulam, and Kozhikode, and 87 municipalities and six corporations would receive training as part of ‘Maattam’.

Sarada Muraleedharan, Additional Chief Secretary, Local Self Government (LSG), Government of Kerala,  M.G. Rajamanickam, Principal Director, LSG, Government of Kerala, Mohammed Y. Safirulla, KSWMP Project Director,  and M. Krishnadas, Kerala Municipal Chairman’s Chamber chairman were among those present.

The workshop will deliberate various topics including detailed plans for solid waste management in accordance with the parameters prescribed in the National Solid Waste Management Manual, achievements by local bodies, and the existing challenges, conceiving new waste disposal projects and changes in consumer habits.