The absence of a scientific waste management plan is beginning to tell on the temple town of Guruvayur.
It is estimated that around 3.5 crore pilgrims visit Guruvayur a year. The municipality generates six tonnes of waste a day. The figure goes up to 10 tonnes during the pilgrim season. There has been no effort to improve the waste management system though the municipality has expanded from 18 to 43 wards, says Anil Manchirambath of the joint protest council, which observed a six-day hunger strike recently in protest against indiscriminate dumping of waste at Choolpuram, the trenching ground of the municipality.
“Hundreds of lodges and wedding halls dump their waste at Choolpuram causing hardship to the 1,200-odd residents of the three wards around it. All the waterbodies are contaminated and the stink is nauseating. People suffer from skin problems and asthma,” said Mr. Anil.
No waste collection
None of these hotels, restaurants or wedding halls here has their own waste treatment system. Most of them discharge their septic tank waste to Valiathode, an open drain running through the town, at night. Recently, the municipality stopped collecting waste from households. People now throw waste to the streets, said Mr. Anil.
P.K. Santhakumari, chairperson of the Guruvayur municipality, said the temple town would be garbage-free in six months with a pro-active plan. “The current bio-waste treatment plant at Choolpuram can treat two tonnes of waste in an hour. Waste will not be dumped at the ground any more,” she said. Procedures have been started to procure a plastic shredding machine. It will be set up at Thaikkad within three months. “The area around the temple is generating most of the waste in the municipality. We have called a meet of residents, hotel and wedding hall owners. No new business establishment or flat will be given permission without a proper waste management system.”
The municipality is planning to provide subsidies to flats to set up their own waste management system. Business establishments will be given an ultimatum in this regard, she said.
Punishment
A special squad of the municipality will monitor the streets from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. to prevent dumping of waste on roads. “Already we have slapped a fine of ₹10,000 on 27 persons. There will be no compromise on punishment,” the chairperson said.
However, T.N. Murali, president of Merchant Association, Guruvayur, said when the municipality bans dumping of waste in public places, it should provide an alternative. “Traders are ready to cooperate, even financially, with the efforts of the municipality for a solution,” he said.
