KOCHI:The district administration on Friday issued clear warning to those dumping waste in water bodies, especially rivers and canals. Briefing local bodies on waste treatment measures in the post-flood scenario, District Collector K Mohammed Y Safeerulla said as part of cleaning the houses several people in the flood-affected areas are dumping waste on roads and other public places.
“The biodegradable waste should be treated at the source itself. The respective local bodies should identify a particular area for collecting non-biodegradable waste. This collection point should be publicised. The waste thus collected should be moved to the treatment facility,” he said.
Safeerulla said disposing of animal carcasses will get the top priority in the first phase. Already, the health workers have identified and buried the carcasses of several thousand animals from the flood-affected areas. In Ernakulam, 70,000 carcasses have been found. Of these, 2,300 are those of big animals.
The district administration has also appealed the public to segregate the waste collected. Already, agencies have been shortlisted for transporting the non-biodegradable waste to Brahmapuram solid waste treatment plant for further segregation, scientific management and recycling.
The government-owned Clean Kerala company and GJ eco power are entrusted with transportation and management of the nonbiodegradable waste. So far transportation of nonbiodegradable waste has commenced from 10 local bodies. These, include Eloor, Angamaly, North Paravoor, Njarakkal, Kuzhippally, Kadamakkudy, Chengamanad, Edavanakkad, Alangad and Cheranelloor. From Angamaly alone, 33 truckloads were already transported to Brahmapuram. The Collector said the segregation of waste has already started at the Brahmapuram.
The biodegradable waste should be processed and composted by the local bodies themselves using ‘Sani treat’ (for reducing bad odour) and ‘bioculam’ (bioculture) provided by Suchitwa Mission and Haritha Keralam mission. Sufficient cleaning materials, 70 fuel-powered pump sets, pressure jet pumps, bleaching powder, lime, hydrogen peroxide, gumboots, masks, gloves are also provided by district administration along with the service of JCBs and tippers.