KOCHI: With the ODI shy of just a day, the city corporation has taken every effort to ensure a green match. The lessons learned at the last T20 match will help steer the waste management mechanism this time. The Sports Hub with 40,000 seating capacity is expected to be filled to the brim with cricket enthusiasts. The close to 10-hour match is expected to throw upto 4 to 5 tonnes of waste. The city corporation is taking every effort to ensure that the ODI won’t leave a litter trail.
Green Protocol will be put in force on the day of the match. The area has been declared a no-plastic zone, and an army of green volunteers will be on their toes to ensure segregation at the source. “The ultimate aim is to reduce the waste generation and have an eco-friendly match,” says Saiju S I, a junior health inspector, Corporation.
At least 100 green army volunteers and employees of Technopark will be on the roll to monitor the segregation process and create awareness among the public about waste management. Green (bio-degradable) and blue (non-biodegradable) bins will be kept at strategic locations to avoid littering.
The focus has been given to the packaging of food materials. Multi-layer packaging is banned. “Only compostable packaging is allowed,” says Saiju.
To ensure segregation at source, a counter selling eco-friendly packaging was set up at the zonal office of the corporation at Kazhakoottam. From sugarcane straws, spoons, and containers, every other alternative to plastic was made available to the vendors.
As part of following the safety measures, steel glasses have been allowed only in the upper rows of the stadium. “So vendors have to resort to eco-friendly glasses. Paper cups cannot be recycled and if at all the vendors are using it, they will have to take it back. Our license specifically states this,” he adds. 40 health inspectors will be deployed by the corporation to ensure the quality and hygiene of the food served.
The cleaning up brigade which will start their duty after the match comprises an army of 500 sanitation workers. The work will start at 7 am on the day after the match. “We expect to finish the cleaning drive in a day,” says Saiju.