The State Pollution Control Board (PCB) has asked the Kalamassery Municipality to set up a sewage treatment plant (STP) before February next year.
The recommendation figures top among a series of directives issued by the board and the Department of Local-Self Governments to the civic body. An assessment by the two bodies had revealed that the municipality had been sitting on various recommendations made in accordance with Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.
The STP has to be set up in accordance with the directives of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) asking local bodies to introduce scientific measures to treat sewage.
The State Level Monitoring Committee (SLMC) appointed by the tribunal had remarked in June that the discharge of untreated sewage from Kalamassery township, waste water from Kalamassery market, and leachate from the civic body’s waste dumping yard at North Kalamassery had resulted in fish kill in the Periyar. It had asked the municipality to accord top priority to implementing the interim orders of the Kerala High Court on solid waste management by coming up with a detailed action plan.
The number and capacity of shredding units under the local body must be increased. Licences of institutions that fail to set up systems to treat biodegradable waste should not be renewed.
The collection frequency of non-biodegradable waste from households should be increased, according to an official communication from the committee.
The municipality has been asked to use shredded plastic for road tarring. Fifteen more material collection facilities and two more resource recovery facilities should be set up within two months. The legacy waste at the dumpyard should be removed in a phased manner.
The other recommendations include the construction of a green belt around the waste dumping yard, installation of cameras for surveillance, provision of shelter and restrooms for workers at the yard, and giving them protective gear while engaged in waste collection and treatment.
Meanwhile, the municipality has assured the agencies that it will come up with a detailed action plan for implementing the recommendations.
The construction of a compound wall separating leachate from rainwater has already begun at the dumpsite. The number of shredding units will be increased. Besides, a facility has been provided to prevent wetting of collected plastic.
Civic body representatives pointed out that they had started tender process for bio-mining of legacy waste.
