Despite having no consolidated system for waste collection, the Karyavattom campus of the University of Kerala has been witnessing localised efforts in moving towards green protocol of late.
Following the footsteps of various study departments that managed to transform themselves into zero-waste institutions, hostels at the campus have also ventured into efforts to adopt sustainable practices such as source-level segregation of waste materials.
The women researchers’ hostel, one of the five hostels in the campus, has successfully undertaken a plastic collection drive that has enabled its authorities to prevent plastic burning on its backyard. Through the ‘pilot project’, the hostel that has 129 inmates could collect over 1,500 plastic covers from the rooms as well as the hostel mess within a month.
According to hostel secretary Vinumol Devassy, a research scholar, plastic covers were collected, washed and dried floor-wise. Sanitary workers later collected these on a weekly basis. A large number of medicine covers, brushes and plastic bottles were also collected separately. The waste items also comprised numerous hand sanitiser containers.
‘Green’ Vishu
“Despite teething problems, the endeavour has made inmates conscious against littering irresponsibly. The washed and dried plastics, which otherwise would have been burnt, were packed and handed over to the plastic waste collection centre run by the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation in Kazhakuttom,” she said.
The first signs of change were visible recently when the hosteliers opted for a ‘green’ Vishu by avoiding the use of plastic leaves and disposable glasses for the sadhya .
The hosteliers have now recommended a centralised system to manage plastic wastes from the five university hostels that houses around 800 postgraduate students and researchers. A nodal officer was also vital for monitoring the mechanism and constantly evaluating its progress. The students also mooted a total ban on plastic burning inside the Karyavattom campus.
