For many, beach is their dump yard in the city still. They don’t give a damn to the serious public health hazards and the ecological damage their act causes. Eventually, they are adding up to the millions of tons of plastic and other waste materials already entered the oceans.
From rotten waste from slaughterhouses to building debris and plastics waste, almost everything is deposited close to the waves at various spots in the two-kilometre stretch of South Beach starting from the Sea-queen Junction to Mukhadar in the city.
Despite repeated call from the authorities and continuous objection from the fishing communities as well as environmentalists, dumping of waste continues unabated in the area. For many miscreants who bring the waste materials in goods carriers during nights, the lorry stand close to the sea at South Beach is a cover for their misdeeds. “One hardly notices the dumping in the bustle of the lorry stand,” says Mohammed Ajmal, a shopkeeper in the area. “Even some civilised-looking residents bring their domestic waste in cars and nonchalantly throw them on the beach,” he says.
Problem for fishermen
Besides the eyesore factor and the stink they often emanate, the indiscriminately dumped waste also causes trouble to the traditional fishermen, who have their nets often filled with the floating garbage while fishing. “It’s frustrating at times,” says Sidharthan, a traditional fisherman from Puthiyangadi. “Sometimes we used to have more plastic covers than fish in the net,” he says.
Beautification project
Tired of complaining to the police and keeping night vigils, the authorities also are at their wits end on how to deal with the challenge. A multi-crore beach beautification project, expected to take off in a few month, is what councillor K.P. Abdulla Koya has pinned his hopes on. “Once the project comes, the present lorry stand will have to go and the entire area will be under public scanner,” says Mr. Koya.
According to him, Rs.2.3 crore has already been sanctioned for the first phase of the project, comprising the beautification and lighting up of the entire stretch of the beach. “The Harbour Department, which is supervising the work, is expected to tender the project this month. However, the thoughtless offenders should not be allowed to go scot-free till the project materialises. “We are keeping a close watch on the area and are also giving the numbers of vehicles used by the lawbreakers to the police,” he says.
