Achievement in cleanliness ranking
It is a matter of pride and great hope for all of us that Kerala has secured a place among the top 100 cities in the country for waste management. According to the central government’s Swachh Survekshan Survey, eight municipal corporations from Kerala have made it into the top 100 rankings. We extend our congratulations to the municipalities of Kochi (50), Mattannur (53), Thrissur (58), Kozhikode (70), Alappuzha (80), Guruvayur (82), Thiruvananthapuram (89), and Kollam (93), as well as to the Local Self Government Department led by Minister M.B. Rajesh, and to everyone who contributed to this achievement. However, there is still significant effort required to improve our rankings further in waste management.
In a way, the threat posed by unmanaged waste is more dangerous than climate disasters. The disaster it causes doesn’t disturb us much because it doesn’t strike suddenly or show immediate effects. Kerala is densely populated, with hardly any difference between urban and rural areas. Over the last three to four decades, the rise of the nuclear family model and an increase in the number of houses and buildings have led to space constraints. Alongside these changes in living standards, the amount of waste generated has also increased. However, the systems for managing this waste have not grown proportionally. Despite our pride in personal cleanliness, many Malayalis show no hesitation in dumping waste in public spaces. Such waste pollutes the air, water, and environment. It even ends up contaminating the food we produce from the soil, slowly affecting our health. The re-emergence of previously defeated diseases and the emergence of new ones could also be linked to this growing pollution.
The increasing challenge of managing electronic waste is another serious concern. Looking ahead, this may become one of the most pressing social issues affecting humanity. Planned efforts are required to address it, and it is encouraging that the government has taken this up as a major mission. However, beyond formal government actions, strong involvement from the citizenry is essential. While we have begun talking about source-level waste management, implementation seems to be lagging. Why can’t this be strengthened? Strict measures should be enforced to ensure that no building, house, or apartment complex is given approval unless it includes a proper waste management system. Installation of biogas plants should be promoted with higher subsidies.
Should we not also consider introducing laws that impose not only fines but also prosecution for those who carelessly dump waste? Municipalities that couldn’t make it into the top 100 this time should strive to secure a place in the next survey, and those that already made it should aim to improve their ranking even further. May Kerala soon rise on the wings of this vision toward a waste-free future.