THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Despite launching campaign weeks ahead of Attukal Pongala festival to promote green protocol and eco-friendly ways to reduce waste generation during the festival, the availability, use and sale of disposables and single-use plastic continues unabated in the festival zone. Lack of effective enforcement to curb the use of disposables and single-use plastics has adversely impacted the campaign launched jointly by the district administration, city corporation and Suchitwa Mission.
It is learned that the failure to launch enforcement activities effectively along with the awareness campaign is the reason for the widespread use of paper cups and other disposables even in the festival venue. The authorities have failed to curb the use of disposables even in the food stalls on the premises of Attukal Bhagavathy Temple.
The district administration and the Suchitwa Mission had launched door-to-door campaigns within the district and bordering districts of Tamil Nadu to sensitise the public on green protocol. The Haritha Karma Sena members were roped in for a household-level face-to-face campaign for the first time. An official of Suchitwa Mission told TNIE that the district-level enforcement squad has been conducting inspections and seizing banned items from vendors. According to Suchitwa Mission officials, around 4,978 inspections were held in the district since March 5 and around `10,98,380 was collected as fine.
“The district-level enforcement squad was active across the district. Many local bodies in the district don’t have the resources to take up enforcement and hence we focused on the panchayats,” said the official.
As part of the campaign, devotees participating in pongala are encouraged to avoid plastic completely and carry steel plates, glass bottles and cloth bags for carrying things. The individuals and organisations involved in ‘Annadanam’ were also instructed to follow green protocol.
The Chalai Market is bustling with activities as devotees throng the market to make purchases for pongala. The shops selling disposables in the market are swamped by customers as the demand goes up during pongala.
“There is a dip in business compared to previous years. We are providing alternative options like eco-friendly plates and cups but because of the high price people buy the other single-use items,” said a vendor at Chalai Market.
An official said, “Enforcement should have been done weeks ahead and now the city is taken over by devotees and vendors. Such enforcement drives will ruin the festive spirit. From next year onward, the authorities should plan it ahead else such exercises to promote green protocol will be futile,” said the official.