THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a bid to make urban areas of the state free of solid waste, the government has started assisting local bodies to find scientific solutions to waste management. The Local Self Government Department will provide assistance in the form of grants, scientific collection of waste data, technical support and monitoring of the projects. The local bodies can avail the basic grant to strengthen and enhance the existing waste management systems. The grant will be provided based on the approval of the waste management projects submitted by the local bodies.
They can also use the amount to implement various solid waste treatment projects tailored to their local specifications, said a statement from the office of Minister for Local Self-Government M V Govindan.In order to make plans, a scientific study of the quantity of waste generated in each location has to be identified. The department has decided to coordinate with Keltron, a state-run PSU, for geographic information system (GIS) mapping in all the urban local bodies to take stock of the quantity of waste generated every day in the households, commercial establishments, markets, schools and offices.
On a pilot basis, the mapping was completed in Thalassery municipality. The minister has also instructed to complete the same in the remaining 92 municipalities within four months.Land remediation activities have also begun in the first phase in areas where waste is traditionally been dumped. Thiry-four legacy waste disposal sites have been identified in different districts for the purpose. “As part of the project, more sites will be identified and reclaimed in each municipality in the future. The lands will be reclaimed by segregating the mixed waste heaps that have been accumulated over the years here and treating and disposing of them without any environmental, health, or social problems,” said the statement.
The State Project Management Unit (SPMU) will assist the municipalities in the implementation of the project. The project is being implemented through a three-tier system that evaluates and monitors the progress and implementation of the project on a daily basis. There will be a District Project Management Unit (DPMU) in all districts under SPMU.