Only two tonnes of the total 20.82 tonnes of waste generated daily in Thripunithura Municipality is treated in accordance with rules, say official estimates.
The widening gap has brought to light the lack of centralised and decentralised waste management systems under the municipality despite several directives from the agencies concerned. The waste management capacity gap is around 18.74 tonnes per day. The State Pollution Control Board (PCB) had assessed an environment compensation of ₹3.78 crore for the civic body for non-compliance with the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.
The municipality was found to be continuously violating rules by not adopting suitable measures for solid waste management. It had failed to set up a bio-methanation plant to treat waste. Instead, it transported its biodegradable waste to the Brahmapuram plant of the Kochi Corporation, which is in a dilapidated condition.
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Non-biodegradable waste was found dumped at the hazardous landfill of the Kerala Enviro Infrastructure Ltd. at Ambalamedu. The facility is actually meant for disposal of hazardous waste as per the Hazardous Waste Management Rules, and the act was against norms, according to the board.
The State Level Monitoring Committee (SLMC) on Solid Waste Management appointed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had found that the municipality was lagging behind in achieving the target fixed by the Principal Bench of the tribunal for solid waste management. It had said that the data submitted by the municipality on door-to-door collection appeared slightly inflated.
“Had it been fully correct, most road and river sides in the municipality would have been waste-free. Even if 1% of solid waste generated by households and other establishments is unattended by the local body, it would be sufficient to pollute the river and road stretches,” it said. A proposal by the committee to set up CCTV at key waste dumping points remains pending.
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Meanwhile, Municipal Chairperson Rema Santhosh said the pandemic had slowed down efforts to plug gaps in waste management.