The Department of Environment has asked the departments/agencies implementing waste management projects to designate an official as nodal officer to ensure the proper submission of action plans through inter-departmental co-ordination.
The recommendation comes close on the heels of an observation by the Central Monitoring Committee under the Ministry of Jal Shakti that there was a huge gap in the facilities for treatment of solid and liquid waste in the State.
The Environment department has informed that there was a lack of coordination among the departments of Local Self-Government, Water Resources, Industries, Kerala Water Authority, Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation, and the Kerala State Solid Waste Management Project in sharing data related to the progress made in four areas including sewage management, various projects related to the implementation of sewage treatment plant/faecal sludge treatment plant/common effluent treatment plan and solid waste management. The stakeholders have to address the gaps by coming up with a proper action with time line, it said.
The nodal officers have to facilitate smooth transfer of data required for preparing the updated status reports to be furnished before the Central Monitoring Committee. They have to supervise the activities related to polluted river stretches. On sewage management, the nodal officer representing the Suchitwa Mission should submit the details to the Joint Director, Department of Local Self-Government (Solid Waste Advisory Group).
The officer has to compile the data submitted by the Department of Local Self-Government and report it to the Kerala State Pollution Control Board. The board has the responsibility in coordinating the details related to the industrial waste management projects. The Project Director, Kerala State Waste Management Project (urban area) and Department of Local Self-Government along with Suchitwa Mission should monitor and initiate proper action plan for solid waste management, according to the directive issued by the Department of Environment.
