Kerala State Pollution Control Board (PCB) has slapped a fine of ₹4.5 crore on Thrissur Corporation for its total failure in effective waste management.
Earlier, the board had issued a notice to the Corporation to implement an effective system for waste management in the city before April 18. As the civic body failed to implement a system, the board has imposed such a huge fine. In the notice, the board has asked the Corporation to give a reply on payment of the fine within 15 days.
Of the ₹4.5 crore, an amount of ₹1.92 crore is for not setting up a waste management plant and ₹2.62 crore is for not treating the waste. The Thrissur Corporation has a waste management plant at Sakthan Nagar. But it does not even have the capacity to treat the waste generated at the Sakthan market.
The Thrissur Corporation, with 86,650 houses and 15,500 institutions, generate 177 tonnes of waste a day. It treats/sells around 90 tonnes of waste to various centres. The PCB found that the rest of the waste is not being treated.
NGT directive
The PCB has slapped the fine as environmental compensation on the local bodies that failed to implement waste management systems, on a directive by National Green Tribunal (NGT). The board has asked the Corporation to give a report after finding a suitable place for installing a waste management system.
The Corporation stopped dumping waste at the Lalur trenching ground many years ago following stiff protest by the local people. Even after many years, the civic body failed to implement decentralised waste management plants in the Corporation limit.
The main challenge for the civic body is to find a suitable place for setting up the plant without inviting protests by the local residents.
