Complete cleanliness must be ensured

It is true that foreign tourists visiting Kerala are often impressed by the personal hygiene habits of Malayalis, including their practice of bathing twice a day. However, when it comes to keeping public spaces clean, that admiration often turns into disappointment. Many people have no hesitation in dumping kitchen waste from their homes in vacant plots nearby or, if that is not possible, packing it and leaving it by the roadside. In a state where the high population density leaves little scope for centralised waste management systems, several decentralised models have been tried. Yet, many areas, including urban centres, continue to struggle with growing heaps of waste. The nearly 40,000 Haritha Karma Sena workers who collect waste directly from households remain our main source of relief.

At a time when many of the schemes introduced for waste management at the source have not yet become fully effective, every initiative taken by the state government to address the waste problem should be welcomed and supported. The state government has now launched a new waste management project called 'Nirmalam- Puthuyuga Shuchitwa Keralam', with the aim of making Kerala completely waste-free in the next five years. In the first phase, the project aims to ensure organic waste management in 30 per cent of households and institutions and source-level waste management in 20 per cent of institutions within a year. It is hoped that scientific methods will be fully adopted in implementing the project. Creating awareness to reduce the quantity of organic waste, particularly food waste, is also important. The lack of space and facilities for source-level waste management is a major challenge in a state that is rapidly urbanising.

Due to the practical difficulties of managing non-biodegradable waste at homes and other establishments, the government is considering measures to collect such waste directly from households and ensure its safe disposal. Kerala generates more than 11,000 tonnes of solid waste every day. Nearly 30 per cent of this is plastic and e-waste, making it unsuitable for disposal in open spaces or elsewhere. Burning such waste can also release toxic fumes and cause health problems. Therefore, Kerala has little choice but to adopt modern waste management systems used in other countries for the disposal of non-biodegradable waste. There is no dedicated government-level scheme yet to make use of recyclable materials. Against this backdrop, the decision to set up recycling plants with the participation of private investors in the second phase of the 'Nirmalam' project is both important and appropriate.

Unlike organic waste, the government plans to ensure 100 per cent collection of non-biodegradable waste, including e-waste, in the second phase. However, the Haritha Karma Sena alone will not be sufficient for this task. A separate system, along with dedicated vehicles to transport the waste to treatment plants, will be required. Considering the increasing quantity of e-waste generated by households, the government should also examine whether this can be implemented without imposing a separate fee. Construction and demolition waste is another serious problem faced by the state. It is a positive step that the five-year 'Nirmalam' project gives special importance to managing such waste. The government is also expected to introduce a Bill in the next Assembly session to establish a dedicated authority to coordinate waste management activities. Once this authority also becomes a reality, the government must ensure that the project is implemented in a timely and effective manner.