Kerala - Kozhikode   

Antony calls for scientific disposal of garbage

By Our Staff Reporter

KOZHIKODE, JUNE 5. The Chief Minister, A.K. Antony, has said that the Government was taking up the Clean Kerala Programme earnestly, and as a people's participatory initiative. He emphasised the importance of handling huge mounds of garbage generated in the State in a scientific manner.

"If we do not treat this as an urgent issue, it would be difficult to maintain Kerala's reputation as a tourist centre that is famous for its scenic locales. Proper disposal of waste matter is vital in curbing the spread of infectious diseases that had reportedly registered a higher incidence,'' he explained. The Chief Minister was speaking after inaugurating a meeting to establish a model solid waste management system in the Kozhikode Municipal Corporation in connection with the observance of World Environment Day today. He said that the solid waste management project of the Kozhikode Corporation would be a model for the State. Households, hotels, hospitals and abattoirs were all responsible for the unscientific disposal of waste matter that is being followed now.

Mr. Antony said that the Government would lay emphasis on rainwater harvesting to avoid the severe drought-like situation that was experienced this year. The programme was organised by the Kozhikode Municipal Corporation, State Pollution Control Board and the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India.

The Minister for Local Self-Government Cherkalam Abdulla declared open the first set of litter-free zones in seven wards in the Kozhikode Corporation. The Mayor, Thottathil Raveendran, who presided over the function, said that the solid waste management initiative was a challenge taken up by the Corporation. Considering the mammoth amounts of garbage generated every day, the problem had become assumed alarming proportions. He requested the assistance of the public in carrying forward the initiative. Mr. Raveendran refuted reports in a section of the media that the Asian Development Bank was involved in its implementation. While it would provide employment for Kudumbasree unit members, no employee of the Corporation would be thrown out of work, he clarified.

Pollution control awards for 2004 were presented by the Chief Minister to Cochin Refineries, and Hindustan Lever, among others. The Chairman of the State Pollution Control Board, Paul Thachil, the Additional Director, Ministry of Environment and Forests, U. Sreedharan, the MLAs, A. Sujanapal and T.P.M. Saheer, the Deputy Mayor, P.T. Abdul Lateef, and the Chairman of the Health Committee, M. Bhaskaran, was among those who spoke on the occasion.

The Rs.6.13-crore model solid waste management system, reportedly the first of its kind in the country, is a collective venture of the Kozhikode Corporation, State Pollution Control Board and the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests. Fifty per cent of the project cost would be received as subsidy from the Centre, the State Government would provide ten per cent and the Kozhikode Corporation the remaining amount. In the first phase, the collection and segregation of waste would begin in seven wards on August 15. Kudumbasree self-help groups would also be involved in the effort. It would be extended to all the 51 wards by October 2.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Kerala

News: Front Page | National | Tamil Nadu | Andhra Pradesh | Karnataka | Kerala | New Delhi | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary | Updates: Breaking News |

Stories in this Section

• Antony calls for scientific disposal of garbage
• Greening Drive inaugurated

Copyright © 2004, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu