THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Corporation installed aerobic bins inside the Central Jail compound at Poojappura to address the waste management issue there. Mayor V K Prasanth inaugurated the bins on Thursday. Deputy Mayor Rakhi Ravikumar presided over the function. Five units have been installed at the jail compound and each unit can handle 2 tonnes of waste. The jail compound houses close to 2,000 people including those serving jail term and officers. The flourishing food making units in the jail generates both biodegradable as well as non-biodegradable waste.
The Corporation has adopted Thumboormuzhi model aerobic composting system for its bins. It is considered one of the most efficient and cost-effective waste management models. It uses a sandwich or layering technique and a single layer may hold as much as 500 kg of wet organic waste. Each bin has a capacity of two tonnes, said a Corporation officer. Nature-friendly microbial consortiums and other materials are used to begin the composting process. This model is one of the most successfully run waste management models.
Corporation has installed aerobic bins in many locations. Though the bins are considered to be effective, lack of proper maintenance has resulted in the non-functioning of many units installed in the city. This led to widespread complaints against the aerobic bins. BJP councilors opposed Corporation’s move to install four units at Poojappura in November last year.
Later the bins were installed with the support of the police.
The Corporation headed by Mayor Prasanth has been spearheading the decentralised model of waste management. Corporation now has 280 aerobic bins, 87,000 pipe composts, 1,800 biogas plants and close to 16,000 kitchen bins. The Corporation officers estimate at least 20 per cent of the population has accepted the decentralised model. Yet there is a constant demand for centralised waste treatment plant from various sections.