The efforts of the Kolayad grama panchyat here to turn it into a garbage-free local body have started yielding results so much so that even those who were initially unwilling to cooperate with the drive are now on board.
The panchayat is serving as a model for others in the management of waste and water conservation activities. The success of the Thelima scheme it started a few months ago to enforce green protocol in all functions including wedding receptions has emboldened the panchayat authorities to issue a new circular on environmental, water conservation and cleanliness norms to be complied with by those constructing houses and buildings in the panchayat. The compliance of the circular starts from November 1.
Planting saplings
The circular stipulates that building permits for construction on the plot exceeding five cents of land should have minimum five saplings planted. The photo of the planted saplings should be attached with the application of the permit. At the stage of providing building number, the application should be attached with the latest photo of plants. Also stipulated is the rain water storage facility for construction of house having total area of 150 square metres and above. Well recharging and groundwater recharging pits are mandatory for the houses having less than that area, the circular says.
The other requirements include covered pits for waste water, facility for treating organic waste into compost, and separate shelves for storing solid waste. “Our panchayat is the first local body in the district that passed a green protocol bylaw,” said K.P. Suresh Kumar, panchayat president.
The Thelima scheme aimed at making the panchayat garbage-free was implemented using powers given by various sections in the Kerala Panchayati Raj Act, he stated. The initial objections to the scheme gave way to full co-operation as the scheme yielded results, he said.
The Thelima scheme has the whole-hearted support of political parties, merchants’ associations, Kudumbasree workers, youth and voluntary organisations, educational institutions, religious institutions and catering agencies. The panchayat has strictly implemented ban on plastic carry bags. There were cases of violators of the ban being fined up to ₹10,000.
Mr. Suresh Kumar said that the panchayat’s volunteers would collect different categories of solid waste kept in different cells in the shelves every month from households. The panchayat has already started collected plastic waste.
As part of keeping the environment in the panchayat clean, it has decided to fine upto 25,000 people who carelessly handle solid waste, burn it or throw it in water bodies. The rule is successfully implemented with the people’s co-operation, the panchayat authorities said.
