The Kozhikode Municipal Corporation council on Friday discussed a new by-law for the management of plastic, solid, liquid and e-waste and passed a draft proposal to this effect.
The by-law bans littering the streets and insists that waste should be segregated and handed over to the agency appointed by the corporation. It was issued by the Corporation Secretary after the local body claimed that the civic society was not interested in keeping the city clean and ensuring that waste is segregated at source. The council noted the need for an inclusive law on waste management.
As per the by-law, different types of waste – degradable waste, harmful substances, biomedical waste, building waste, bio-waste, recyclable and non-recyclable dry non-biodegradable waste, liquid waste, plastic, electrical and electronic waste - have to be segregated at source by the generators and should be processed or disposed of accordingly. The biodegradable waste has to be composted at source.
The establishments that produce more waste such as hotels, restaurants, catering units, marriage halls, hospitals, fish and meat processing units and private markets should have their own solid waste processing facility. It will be made mandatory for them. If they have space constraint, the corporation will collect their waste for a fixed price.
Hospitals and auditoriums should find space to process waste.
Hospitals have to make arrangements to destroy the biomedical waste without causing harm to others or entrust other agencies to do it. The corporation will collect and dispose e-waste and other hazardous waste. The by-law also bans burning of any kind of waste. Violators of these regulations will be fined accordingly. The by-law clearly defines the responsibilities of stakeholders such as residents’ associations, bulk generators, various committees and the corporation.
The councillors actively participated in the three-hour-long discussion and made several minor additions to the by-law. Mayor Thottathil Ravidran chaired the meeting. The by-law will come into effect once the State government clears it.
