THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The capital city is slowly embracing green protocol, hitherto used only on special occasions, as a permanent fixture. Regulation of plastic, proper waste management etc are some the features of green protocol implemented successfully during Attukal pongala, school art festival and swearing-in ceremony of the council of ministers.
As a next step in decentralised waste management, corporation is planning to ban all kinds of plastic carry bags by next month. It is in the process of getting consensus from stakeholders on the effectiveness of the ban. A ban on plastics with 50 micron thickness has received mixed response.
Plastic carry bags though convenient are a major cause of worry. Plastic sheets and covers used at the eateries are difficult to recycle.
So what are the alternatives to plastic bags?
Mayor V K Prashant says, cloth and paper bags will replace plastic ones. The corporation has already given training to Kudumbasree units to make alternative bags. “We are using our plan fund to give incentives to bag making units.
We will approach the state government seeking subsidy for these units so that the market price of such bags are lesser than that of plastic,” says the Mayor. He agrees that it is a humongous task to bring down the price below that of the cheaply available plastics. But he hopes that people in the city will understand the real cost of using plastic while referring to the toxic fumes released when they are burnt, chemical leeching in food packets, blocked drains etc.
While the majority prefer centralised waste management methods, the corporation is looking
towards bringing in the decentralised waste management method, which is sustainable yet difficult to implement. It involves a change in mindset of the entire 10 lakh living in the city. To achieve the results, the corporation is trying all possible methods, from popularising kitchen bins to engaging stakeholders in various ways. A workshop was conducted by the corporation on steps to be taken to make its waste management program a success.
Magic and Puppetry
“There is no magic in managing waste. That is something everyone has to do responsibly,” says magician Gopinath Muthukad. He is the ambassador of the city corporation’s ‘My City, Beautiful City’ project. Corporation is planning to engage school students in its mission.
Magic shows, quiz programmes, workshops, science projects and other events are being planned to be held in schools as part of the local body’s ‘My City, Beautiful City’ waste management programme. Sunil Pattimattam presented a puppet show to create awareness on the importance of waste management at 50 schools in the city.
As part of the first phase, students of Government Model High School and Cotton Hill School will be tasked with promoting kitchen bins. Schools and class rooms will also be given prizes in order to promote the bins.