KOCHI: With the process of formulating a practical waste management strategy for the city in the works, and the fire at the Brahmapuram dump yard merely serving to highlight the issue, police have begun cracking down on hotels and shops that handle garbage in a slipshod manner. As many as 47 cases were registered during a special drive carried out by all stations in the city.
Commissioner K Sethu Raman said the operation was planned and executed following information that hotels and shops in the city and nearby municipalities were handling waste negligently. New waste disposal mechanisms and strategies were introduced in the wake of the Brahmapuram fire earlier this month.
“We found that several shops, especially hotels, wrap waste in plastic covers and dump it in public places, mainly on footpaths or roadsides, near their establishments. It is illegal as no one is permitted to dump waste in public places. We all know that waste management is a serious issue in Kochi and strict action would be initiated against violators,” he said.
Hotels and shops found violating waste disposal rules were booked under IPC Section 269 (unlawfully or negligently doing any act which is and which has reason to believe to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life). The offence can attract imprisonment for up to six months or a fine, or both. “The cases were registered against owners of shops and hotels. Steps will be taken to prosecute them for violating norms. The drive will continue in the coming days as well,” Sethu Raman said.
Meanwhile, the Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Association (KHRA) said it won’t interfere with police action as it has introduced a systematic waste disposal system for hotels and restaurants in the city. KHRA vice-president Azees Moosa, who monitors the system, said it was a matter of concern that cases are being registered against several hotels and restaurants despite proper instructions being passed on to them.
“None of our members has approached us regarding the police action. It is the responsibility of hotel and restaurant owners to handle police cases slapped on them. We have removed around 80% of legacy waste from restaurants. Besides, we have entrusted work for collecting waste from hotels and restaurants to four agencies and the mechanism has become operational. We had given instructions to hotels that they should not store waste in plastic bags and keep them in front of their shops,” he said.