THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday said that ‘Vruthi 2025’ — National Clean Kerala Conclave — will be a platform to address the concerns and doubts related to waste management in Kerala. At the inaugural ceremony of the five-day conclave being held at Kanakakunnu, the chief minister said that the state has made significant progress in the field of waste management through collective efforts.
He noted that over 61,664 tonnes of waste have been collected and processed by the Clean Kerala Company Ltd and as many as 89 lakh households across the state have been integrated in the digital tracking system. The chief minister said that despite making progress, some people still view waste management initiatives and plants with doubt and apprehension and the conclave will serve as a platform to alleviate such concerns of the public and people’s representatives regarding waste treatment plants.
He said that the state has achieved progress in health and education through people’s participation and similarly the state aims to set a model for the nation in the field of waste management.
Local Self-Government Minister M B Rajesh, who presided over the function, said that the government’s goal is to achieve 100 per cent waste-free Kerala and this requires collective action. He said that the fire incident at Brahmapuram waste plant was a crucial moment in the waste management sector. Following the fire, the government formulated a comprehensive action plan for waste management for Kochi city, he said. Despite opposition and skepticism about the feasibility of a decentralised waste management system, the plan worked successfully, he added.
Awards were presented to districts excelling in waste management, with Kannur securing the first place, Kozhikode second, and Thrissur third. A comprehensive report on the activities under the ‘Waste-Free New Kerala’ campaign was released by the chief minister, and the vision document outlining the future of waste management will be presented at the conclave’s closing ceremony.
The event features exhibitions, model villages, food festivals, and installations inaugurated by various ministers. The inaugural event was attended by MLA V K Prasanth, MLA Kadakampally Surendran, Antony Raju, K. Ansalan, C K Hareendran, V Joy, D K Murali, V Sasi, I B Satheesh, G Stephen, and M Vincent, Thiruvananthapuram Mayor Arya Rajendran and district panchayat president D Suresh Kumar.