Kerala Cracks Down on Banned Plastic Use and Illegal Waste Dumping

Strict action against those using banned plastic carry bags, products: Kerala CM

The meeting was attended by ministers of the Local Self Government, Public Works, Labour, Food, Sports and Railways, Health and Water Resources, concerned MLAs, Thiruvananthapuram Mayor, Chief Secretary and the Railway Divisional Manager, the statement said. It was decided to carry out activities in accordance with the provisions of the Disaster Management Act, for the smooth collection of garbage in the city. In the meeting, several measures were suggested for discouraging use and dumping of plastic products. The measures included cancellation of registration of vehicles used for dumping waste in public roads and water bodies, installing 40 artificial intelligence cameras -- linked to the police control room -- to identify litterers and planning public programs for the supervision, maintenance and protection of water bodies, the statement said. Directions were also issued to the Railways to ensure scientific waste management every day. The Railways was also asked to clean the 130 metre-long tunnel portion of the Amayizhanchan canal that runs underneath the Thampanoor railway station here. Besides that, the Irrigation department was directed to repair the fencing on both sides of the Amayizhanchan canal in which the sanitation worker had drowned, the statement said, adding that work on installing 2,000 meters of new fencing will commence soon. Additionally, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), was asked to set up an effluent treatment plant and an Integrated Waste Management System to avoid discharge of waste water and other solid waste into the canal from the service station at Thampanoor Bus Depot, it said. It also said that in the meeting it was decided to put in place strict measures to prevent sewage from the houses near the canal from flowing into it. Strict action will also be taken against discharge of waste water into the canal from commercial or business establishments at KSRTC depot, Thakaraparambu, Patur, Vanchiyoor, Janashakti Nagar and Kannammula also of which are close to the Amayizhanchan canal. In the meeting, the CM appreciated all those, including the scuba team, who bravely participated in the efforts to rescue the sanitation worker. The body of Joy, who had gone missing while cleaning the waste-filled Amayizhanchan canal on July 13, was found on Monday. The decomposed body was found in the canal on the Pazhavangadi-Thakaraparambu-Vanchiyoor road by corporation sanitation workers during a massive search and rescue operation launched by multiple agencies. Joy was a temporary cleaning worker employed by a railway contractor. He and two other workers were engaged in cleaning the Thampanoor part of the canal near the railway station when the water flow increased due to heavy rainfall, sweeping him into a tunnel below the tracks of the platform at the central railway station. PTI HMP HMP ROH

Strict action against those using banned plastic carry bags, products: Kerala CM

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced stringent actions against the use of banned plastic products following the drowning of a sanitation worker in a waste-filled canal. During an online meeting, attended by various ministers and officials, it was decided to implement measures under the Disaster Management Act to improve waste collection. Plans include canceling registrations of vehicles dumping waste, installing AI cameras to catch litterers, and repairing canal fencing. The Railways and Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) were directed to improve waste management systems to prevent further pollution.In the wake of a sanitation worker drowning in a canal full of plastic waste, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said stringent action would be taken against those using banned plastic carry bags and products. The decision was taken in an online meeting chaired by Vijayan, a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said. The meeting was attended by ministers of the Local Self Government, Public Works, Labour, Food, Sports and Railways, Health and Water Resources, concerned MLAs, Thiruvananthapuram Mayor, Chief Secretary and the Railway Divisional Manager, the statement said. It was decided to carry out activities in accordance with the provisions of the Disaster Management Act, for the smooth collection of garbage in the city. In the meeting, several measures were suggested for discouraging use and dumping of plastic products. The measures included cancellation of registration of vehicles used for dumping waste in public roads and water bodies, installing 40 artificial intelligence cameras -- linked to the police control room -- to identify litterers and planning public programs for the supervision, maintenance and protection of water bodies, the statement said. Directions were also issued to the Railways to ensure scientific waste management every day. The Railways was also asked to clean the 130 metre-long tunnel portion of the Amayizhanchan canal that runs underneath the Thampanoor railway station here. Besides that, the Irrigation department was directed to repair the fencing on both sides of the Amayizhanchan canal in which the sanitation worker had drowned, the statement said, adding that work on installing 2,000 meters of new fencing will commence soon. Additionally, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), was asked to set up an effluent treatment plant and an Integrated Waste Management System to avoid discharge of waste water and other solid waste into the canal from the service station at Thampanoor Bus Depot, it said. It also said that in the meeting it was decided to put in place strict measures to prevent sewage from the houses near the canal from flowing into it. Strict action will also be taken against discharge of waste water into the canal from commercial or business establishments at KSRTC depot, Thakaraparambu, Patur, Vanchiyoor, Janashakti Nagar and Kannammula also of which are close to the Amayizhanchan canal. In the meeting, the CM appreciated all those, including the scuba team, who bravely participated in the efforts to rescue the sanitation worker. The body of Joy, who had gone missing while cleaning the waste-filled Amayizhanchan canal on July 13, was found on Monday. The decomposed body was found in the canal on the Pazhavangadi-Thakaraparambu-Vanchiyoor road by corporation sanitation workers during a massive search and rescue operation launched by multiple agencies. Joy was a temporary cleaning worker employed by a railway contractor. He and two other workers were engaged in cleaning the Thampanoor part of the canal near the railway station when the water flow increased due to heavy rainfall, sweeping him into a tunnel below the tracks of the platform at the central railway station.

Kerala CM's meet on waste management decides strict action against garbage dumping in capital

A meeting chaired by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on July 18 to discuss waste management issues in the capital decided to take stringent action against those who use banned plastic carry bags and products and dump such waste in public spaces, including water bodies and canals. The meeting was called in light of the death of sanitation worker N. Joy who drowned while he was involved in cleaning up Amayizhanjan Canal in the capital recently. Kerala HC seeks explanations from Collector, Corporation and Railways on removal of plastic wastes from Amayizhanjan canal The provisions of the Disaster Management Act will be utilised to tackle the garbage problem in the capital city. Under the supervision of the District Collector, the Sub-Collector will be assigned as a special officer to coordinate the activities. The co-ordination of the Major Irrigation department, the city Corporation and the Railways will be ensured. Strict action such as cancellation of the registration of vehicles used to dump waste on public roads and water bodies will be considered. The meeting also urged the Railways to ensure scientific waste management every day and to clean up the portion of the canal that passes through its property. The Railways' Engineering department should conduct a weekly inspection to ensure that the waste collected from trains is treated scientifically. The Irrigation department will repair the fencing on both sides of the canal. The work on the new fencing will also start soon. Trash booms and AI cameras The Corporation will install two trash booms near Rajaji Nagar to collect plastic waste flowing in the canal. As many as 40 AI cameras will be installed to monitor waste dumping. These will be linked to the police control room. Strict action will be taken against litterers. The Fire and Rescue Services department will provide training and necessary safety arrangements to those engaged in waste management operations. The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has been directed to set up an effluent treatment plant and integrated waste management system to avoid discharge of waste water and other solid waste from the service station at the Thampanoor bus depot into the Amayizhanjan Canal. The zoo authorities have also been asked to put in place waste management systems. Steps will be taken to prevent the flow of sewage from houses as well as from commercial establishments at Thakarapparambu, Pattoor, Vanchiyoor, Kannammoola and other places into Amayizhanjan Canal. A wide-ranging programme involving the public as well as students to protect water bodies and canals will be taken up. The Ministers of Local Self-Governments, Public Works, Labour, Food, Sports-Railway, Health and Water Resources departments, MLAs and the Thiruvananthapuram Mayor participated in the online meeting. Senior officials, including the Chief Secretary and the Divisional Railways Manager, were also present. Read Comments