THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Despite the launch of door-to-door waste collection and the deployment of Haritha Karma Sena members for waste management, unauthorised waste collection and dumping by illegal operators persistently plague the state capital. This ongoing issue poses a significant challenge for Haritha Karma Sena members, particularly as much of the illegal dumping occurs at mini material collection facilities. Currently, there are over 1,000 Haritha Karma Sena members actively serving all 100 wards in Thiruvananthapuram, achieving an impressive waste collection coverage of 88%.
However, certain wards under the Manacaud health circle, including Manacaud, Kuriathi, and Kalippankulam, are particularly affected by illegal dumping activities. According to Haritha Karma Sena members, each morning, several sacks of waste are abandoned at the mini material collection facilities. “These illegal operators are collecting money from the public and dumping the waste near our facilities, which ultimately falls on us to manage. With only 16 members in our group, we work tirelessly every day, but we can’t handle this situation anymore. We’ve informed the corporation that we will no longer take responsibility for the illegally dumped waste,” said a Haritha Karma Sena member from the Manacaud health circle.
Health officials have identified violators operating from Karimadom Colony who collect waste from local juice shops and restaurants, subsequently dumping it in public spaces and mini collection facilities. The density of food business operators in this area exacerbates the issue. An official from the health wing of Manacaud health circle said that efforts must be intensified to curb violations through enhanced night patrols.
Recently, the city corporation sent a letter to Fort Police requesting action against the violators. “We have currently booked two vehicles involved in these activities. Despite the existence of night patrols conducted by health squads, dumping remains rampant. There are two night squads responsible for covering all 100 wards,” the official from the Manacaud health circle said.“We are gathering evidence from CCTV footage in various areas, but we often struggle to capture the vehicle numbers due to inadequate visibility,” added the official.