KOCHI : The district administration and the Kochi corporation have come under fire for their failure to ensure cleanliness at the Fort Kochi beach after a video showing a group of Russian tourists cleaning the beach went viral. The footage, which surfaced on Sunday, shows dozens of tourists diligently collecting plastic bottles, footwear, thermocol, and other waste littering the beach.
While the Cochin Heritage Zone Conservation Society is tasked with cleaning the Fort Kochi beach, netizens are directing their discontent towards the corporation and the district administration for the poor state of the beach in Fort Kochi, which stands as one of Kerala’s most alluring tourist attractions.According to local residents, the corporation and the district administration are least bothered about keeping the beach neat.
“Because of the indiscriminate dumping of household and slaughter waste, plastic bottles, and various unused materials into the Vembanad Lake, the Fort Kochi beach has tragically transformed into a dumping ground. Given the area’s geographical location as an estuary, much of the waste deposited into the backwaters inevitably finds its way onto the beach, exacerbating the problem,” said Prakashan, who goes for a walk daily at the Fort Kochi beach.
According to Antony Kureethara, the leader of opposition in the Kochi corporation, the Cochin Heritage Zone Conservation Society chaired by the district collector appears to be a mere spectator.
“Despite the mounting waste problem, there seems to be a lack of proactive action from the Heritage Zone Conservation Society. Both the Society and the corporation share the responsibility to maintain the beach. If the Society is unable to fulfil its duties, the corporation should step in and take control. Ultimately, ensuring tourist destinations like the Fort Kochi beach remain clean falls within the purview of the corporation,” Kureethara said.
Cleaning campaigns by several schools, volunteers and the Clean Fort Kochi Foundation are inadequate to check the mounting waste menace at the beach, local people pointed out.
“The situation is worsening with each passing day. Although several people are taking initiatives to collect waste, transportation remains a significant issue,” said Mohammed Irfan, a core member of the Clean Fort Kochi Foundation.
He said the corporation used to handle waste collection but has nearly ceased to do so after the massive fire outbreak at Brahmapuram last year. “We now have to rely on private parties to manage the mess. Disposing of waste too has become our responsibility, not just cleaning. All agencies should collaborate to find a solution,” Irfan stressed.
Kureethara said the tourism minister, a year ago, had claimed to bring a comprehensive development plan for Fort Kochi. “Even after a year, not a single step has been mooted. A master plan is needed to identify the issues of Fort Kochi,” he added.
Though TNIE tried to contact the district collector, he was unavailable for comment.