The ignorance of authorities and some self-centred private firms towards waste management have made the life of people a living hell. Improper sewage waste management make this all the more difficult. Sewage waste collected by private companies and individuals from houses are often disposed in rivers and even by the side of roads at midnight. Locals would only come to know about this by dawn. These people would have made it to a safe distance by then. This is happening everywhere, in urban and rural places. These anti-socials escape the clasp of authorities and police mostly. Ones who are caught are often fined and released.

There was an incident recently in Thiruvananthapuram where two Corporation officers escaped from the face of death after stopping a tank truck from dumping waste. Attempt to ram them with lorry took place right in front of a fort police station. The officers sustained minor injuries. But the culprits couldn’t found till now.

Despite being a capital, only 30 percentage of houses in Thiruvananthapuram have drainage facility. Rest have to depend on the Corporation or private firms for cleaning septic tanks. Sewage treatment plant in Muttathara, built to decompose all of city’s sewage waste, is not utilized properly. Only 15 percent of plant’s total production capacity is used. Instead of dumping waste in public places, one could easily make use of this facility. It won’t even cost much. But someone should take the initiative. There is no excuse for dumping waste out in the public places when you have such a facility available. Rules should be made strict to catch these offenders red handed. Only punishment can stop such activities.

Kerala was recently announced as public excretion free state. But complaints regarding poor sewage waste management is tainting that fame. Public health is in grave danger due to this practice. While there are rules to punish people who pollute river sources, arrests for such practices are unheard of. Laws are made not just for reading, but to implement.

Local government offices should make a list of companies and individuals who engage in waste management. Registration and licensing should be made compulsory. Stringent actions should be taken that forces every sewage truck to keep a log and license book at all times. Dumping of waste at public places and rivers should be stopped at all costs. Local government offices should work in tandem with the police to put an end to this social evil.