THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With people gearing up for the upcoming elections and candidates going out of their way to woo voters through campaigns, a set of guidelines have been prepared by the Thiruvananthapuram district administration along with Haritha Keralam Mission and Suchitwa Mission to make the elections green.The green protocol is a set of guidelines to reduce the generation of waste and restrict the use of non-biodegradable material.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has already issued an advisory to all parties and candidates to not use single-use plastic in election campaign materials. As per the green protocol, the political parties are allowed to use boards, banners and posters made using cloth materials. Apart from campaigning materials, the authorities have asked the candidates to use disposable plates, plantain leaves, earthen pots, steel plates and glasses to serve food and water.
To persuade candidates from using plastic materials and flex boards, awareness programmes are being conducted under the district administration. The District Collector held a meeting with candidates of political parties so the green protocol rules are strictly followed during the campaigns. "Facilitation centres will be set up at three levels- district, taluk and panchayat so the candidates are persuaded from violating the rules of the green protocol. The candidates have already been given the directions to avoid any kind of plastic material during the campaign," said R Ajay Kumar Verma, executive director, Suchitwa Mission.
The facilitation groups, to be formed at all levels, will include government officers who will take the message to the booth-level.
After a meeting was called by Collector K Vasuki, the candidates have started avoiding the use of flex boards for the election campaign at a certain level. "As per the High Court rule, flex boards have been banned, is illegal and cannot be used. We welcome this concept and have already directed our party members not to keep any flex boards. Likewise, we are trying to find alternatives to plastic glasses and plates to serve food during campaigns," said one of the campaigning managers of a political party which is in the election fray.
The candidates and party workers have also been told to rent out steel plates and glasses from Kudumbashree. In polling stations also, food and water will be served in steel glass and plates as an alternative to plastic.
"Many political parties have taken a positive step and have changed to sticking poster and wall graffiti instead of flex boards," said TN Seema, executive vice-chairperson, Haritha Keralam Mission. Even after the polls, a massive clean-up exercise will be conducted where paper waste generated will be recycled.