THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The corporation’s army has begun their work of segregating flood waste at Nilambur on Monday. A team of 60 including the volunteers and corporation officials frome here left for Nilambur to help the municipality in efficient segregation of waste and ensuring that flood waste didn’t add to the landfill or get burnt. The disaster response and management team of the corporation left on Sunday night.
After the floodwaters receded in Nilambur, piles of waste got dumped in a ground adjacent to the stretch where the work on the bypass road is progressing. Soaked in mud and slush, the waste ranges from cloth and plastic to e-waste. It was after the Nilambur municipality got in touch with the city corporation that it decided to send its team to help in waste management. Mayor VK Prakash flagged off the vehicle on Sunday night.
“Waste such as cardboard and screwpine mats will be managed by composting by mixing with cow dung. Plastic waste and electronic waste will be sent for recycling by associating with other governmental agencies. Meanwhile, the bedding waste, sponge, fibre and other such waste will be managed by sending it to a firm which handles the hazardous waste. Those will be handled by the municipality. We will be cleaning the waste and segregating it,” says a corporation official.
The team comprises deputy mayor Rakhi Rabikumkar, public works standing committee chairperson S Pushpalatha, education standing committee chairman C Sudarshanan, along with the volunteers and corporation health officials. “The focus is on cleansing everything and then ensuring the proper management of the waste. For instance, the recycling of e-waste and plastic waste can only be done if they are cleaned and hence the decision,” said P V Hamsa, vice-chairman of Nilambur municipality.
The team left with a water tanker, 10 power water jets, generator, fogging machines, equipment and all paraphernalia required to clean waste and segregate it. As many as seven vehicles left for Nilambur for the three-day cleaning activity. The group also includes a team of two doctors.
Last year, the corporation was engaged in the cleansing activities post flood. “We went to the homes of the flood-affected, helped in cleaning the waste and recovery of the materials. We gave the articles back. This time, we have embarked on a huge segregation and cleansing activity. The waste amounts to more than 200 tonnes. The waste in just one area of the ward is what we are concentrating on. This will then be implemented across all wards by the municipality,” said the corporation official.
“The waste needs to be cleaned, segregated and dried properly. Only then can it be segregated. Cleaning waste materials from the flood is very difficult. This waste normally gets dumped or burnt. This can add to various environmental problems. The initiative taken by the municipality is commendable,” he added.
The focus is on cleansing everything and ensuring the proper management of the waste.