Many residents’ associations in Kozhikode Municipal Corporation limits are not yet aware of the waste management plan of the Corporation, in which they are supposed to play an active role. Educating the masses through the respective residents’ associations was an integral part of the project which was implemented with the help of Niravu Residents Association, which had previously set many successful examples of the same. However, the plan did not pick up as expected in many parts of the city as the residents’ associations failed to rise up to the occasion.
The plan kicked off in the beginning of August and was expected to rid the city of all existing non biodegradable waste by the end of the month.
The ward councillors coordinated the residents associations’ to collect the waste from households and educated the public on how to avoid accumulation of waste in future. Niravu was involved in educating the councillors as well as in shipping off the waste to recycling units in Karnataka.
Though most of the associations complied with the plan, there are a few exceptions where the plan either did not pick up or failed due to poor coordination. “Most of the councillors cooperated well with the project. But some were reluctant to put effort,” said Babu Parambath, project coordinator of Niravu.
He appreciated the effort of some councillors who took the project to heart as well as the Health Inspectors who organised the collections.
Mayor A.K.Premajam said the collection and shipping off of waste have been completed successfully in most parts of the city. She plans to hold a review meeting to analyse the reason for the failure in some parts and solve the issue.
The Corporation will also strengthen action against those who dump waste in public places, she added.
Meanwhile, 80 truck loads of waste was shipped off to Karnataka within the month. “We have shipped off all the collected garbage pointed out by the Corporation officials so far.
The remaining will be shipped off as soon as the payment for the 80 truckloads is received,” Mr.Babu said.
