Two days after the state government declared that a consensus was formed in an all-party meet to dispose of waste in quarries, it is yet to take any step towards resolving the garbage crisis. Though abandoned quarries in Kalladichavila, Vellar and Kuzhivila were identified for the purpose, the government is still groping in the dark over the issue.
The Suchitwa Mission officials have not received any direction from the government regarding shifting of waste. “We have identified quarries at Kalladichavila, Vellar and Kuzhivila. A government order in this regard was issued recently. However, no decision has been taken on when or where to shift the waste,” a senior official of Suchitwa Mission said on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, public opposition is gaining momentum at Kalladichavila, where the government is planning to dump waste. Led by Kattayikonam councillor G Vinod, protestors have started distributing pamphlets to the local people. “We have begun our action against dumping waste here. Awareness campaign and distribution of pamphlets are being organised in and around Kalladichavila. We have also met several political leaders, including Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan, to apprise them of the situation,” Vinod told Express.
The Suchitwa Mission officials are their pinning hopes on the mobile incinerator, which is expected to arrive by the end of this month. “The crisis over disposal of waste such as meat can be solved with the introduction of the mobile incinerator,” an official said. He also voiced optimism over setting up the waste treatment plant at Chalai at the earliest.
The garbage crisis has worsened with the onset of the north east monsoon this week.
The city has been getting a good rainfall for the past couple of days. The threat of the spread of communicable diseases and the contamination of ground water owing to oozing in of leachate are a cause for concern for the city residents.