Thrikkakara residents put off by ‘stench from Brahmapuram’

But the corporation says the foul smell can't be from the waste treatment plant

April 18, 2014 11:19 am | Updated May 21, 2016 12:01 pm IST - KOCHI

The problem of waste management calls for an early solution withThrikkakara, home to Infopark, fast turning into an IT hub. — FILE PHOTO

The problem of waste management calls for an early solution withThrikkakara, home to Infopark, fast turning into an IT hub. — FILE PHOTO

Wind is what the residents of Thrikkakara municipality fears the most these days.

For, as the wind blows, many areas of the municipality comes in the grip of unbearable stench allegedly from the solid waste treatment plant of the Kochi Corporation at the neighbouring Brahmapuram. “We are being victimized by the Kochi Corporation in its zeal to make the city clean. Our plight has been going unnoticed for long. We are planning to launch strong protests on the issue,” said M.S. Anilkumar, the president of Thrikkakara Residents’ Associations’ Apex Council (TRAAC).

The issue would need early solution with Thrikkakara, already home to Infopark, fast turning into an IT hub. With SmartCity Kochi also in the pipeline, the issue could spiral out of control if left unresolved.

Thrikkakara municipal authorities, however, said they were yet to receive any complaints. “There used to be stench in areas near Chittettukara and that too only when the waste is churned. The issue is yet to be raised in the council,” said Shereena Shukkoor, municipal vice-chairperson.

Health Literacy Programme Meanwhile, TRAAC is planning to launch a complete health literacy programme with waste management at the source of generation being one of the thrust areas. “We have already been promoting segregation and treatment of waste at the source of generation. The municipal corporation has been distributing mini biogas plants or pipe compost and plans to distribute separate bins for segregate waste collection. The idea is to substantially reduce the outflow of waste from the municipal areas because a centralised waste treatment could end up the Brahmapuram way,” Mr. Anilkumar said.

Ensuring consumption of non-toxic and balanced diet is another important component of the programme. The association plans to encourage backyard vegetable cultivation to ensure food self-sufficiency besides making daily exercise a way of life.

“The message about the importance of workouts will be taken to each family. We have already organised a mass run to propagate this message and now plans to make mass walk in the morning an everyday affair,” Mr. Anilkumar said.

Each family will be encouraged to undergo a basic health check-up every year, which would inculcate the need for exercise.

About 20 residents associations spread over 43 wards of the municipal corporation are affiliated to TRAAC. It accounts for about 12,000 families. TRAAC hopes that its health literacy programme would help reduce the incidents of diseases and patients in the larger municipal area and by extension the drain on family income towards medical expenses.

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