KOCHI: In a bid to tackle rampant waste dumping, the Kochi corporation has collected a total of Rs 1.33 crore in fines over the past two years and four months. In 2024, the corporation collected Rs 83.72 lakh — a sharp rise from the 2023 figure of Rs 27.55 lakh. And till April this year, fines worth Rs 22.42 lakh have already been imposed on violators.
Despite these efforts, several parts of Ernakulam district continue to grapple with garbage heaps, creating an eyesore and posing health hazards. Civic officials stress that public awareness and collective responsibility are key to restoring Kochi’s beauty.
One incident that drew public attention in recent times involved playback singer M G Sreekumar, whose residence near the Bolgatty Palace was filmed — by a tourist — with a garbage bag being thrown into the backwaters. The Mulavukad panchayat fined the singer Rs 25,000, which he promptly paid but clarified that he was penalised unfairly as the housekeeper had only thrown discarded mangoes into the water body.
Mayor M Anilkumar said the city is leading the efforts in waste management with a centralised system that integrates the corporation with municipalities nearby. “The Brahmapuram biomining initiative has processed 90% of legacy waste.
Other facilities include two compressed biogas (CBG) plants, two black soldier fly (BSF) plants, and an upcoming refuse derived fuel (RDF) plant for plastic waste. The windrow compost plant remains a core facility ensuring operational continuity,” he said.In addition, Kochi corporation operates six decentralised plants and several resource recovery facilities (RRFs). Innovations such as bottle booths and container wheels have been introduced to improve waste segregation and public participation.
A special council meeting on May 29, involving MPs, MLAs, and officials, reviewed the waste management strategies in place, the mayor said. However, gaps remain. In Fort Kochi, councillor Antony Kureethara cited issues such as leaf waste buildup, outdated equipment, and staff shortage. He noted the continued dumping of plastic and meat waste near roads and shops, especially in tourist hotspots. In Panampilly Nagar, councillor Anjana pointed out that while systems have improved, many residents still refuse to hand over waste to the Haritha Karma Sena, the city’s green task force.
On the brighter side, Ponnurunni is emerging as a model ward. “With support from the corporation and the HEAL Society, biowaste is being used for agriculture. And QR code-based receipts have improved transparency,” said Sindhu, a Haritha Karma Sena member.
Public Health Officer Dr Gopakumar R S emphasised that plastic recycling works only if waste is clean and segregated properly.