KOCHI: The next time you step into the KSRTC main or depot offices, do not be surprised if you find the staff using fountain pens instead of ballpoint pens or managing paper waste properly rather than littering them around. The Corporation has started training its staff on ‘Green protocol’ practices from Friday onwards.
The public entity has also decided to create awareness among lakhs of commuters against the littering practices for which select groups of youngsters would travel in buses and conduct awareness campaigns.
The initiatives are part of its efforts to effect an image makeover after facing flak for long over its failure to keep its buses and bus stations clean and tidy. While the measures are initially being implemented in Alappuzha bus station, a high-level meeting chaired by Transport Secretary K Vasuki recently has decided to replicate the pilot ‘Alappuzha model’ across the state in a phased manner.
The main objectives are to create a positive attitude among the people, build a travel-friendly atmosphere and ensure effective waste-management practices in all bus depots.
“The first of the training sessions was held at the Alappuzha bus depot today. We’ll initially train ministerial staff before including the operative staff as well.
The green protocol practices include small eco-friendly initiatives such as completely avoiding the use of plastic (not even as table or desk covers), using refillable ink pens instead of ballpoint pens, keeping paper waste properly so as to facilitate selling them, etc.,” a senior KSRTC official said. Meanwhile, the Corporation will carry out special passenger awareness campaigns in running buses against the disposal and littering of waste at bus stands and other public places, for which it has tied up with the Suchitwa Mission.
“We’ll select various groups of youngsters, mainly volunteers from the National Service Scheme (NSS) and the National Cadet Corps (NCC). The campaigns will be conducted on important occasions like November 1 (Kerala Piravi Day), November 14 (Children’s Day), January 1 (New Year), January 26 (Republic Day) and March 30 (International Zero Waste Day).
The groups of volunteers will travel on buses and brief the passengers on sustainable practices, like the need for biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes, and stop littering public places like KSRTC bus stands. They will also distribute brochures provided by the Suchitwa Mission. The target is to cover 150 buses on a single day, besides the various bus stations,” the official pointed out.
“The local bodies have already launched several initiatives to make the state waste-free. However, it’s crucial for KSRTC to be part of this campaign. Around 30 lakh people commute daily on KSRTC buses. When we take the employees and various sections such as merchants who are connected with the Corporation directly or indirectly, nearly 65 per cent of the state’s population depends on KSRTC. So, keeping the buses and bus stations waste-free is important,” he said.
The Corporation has already started implementing the ‘Malinya Muktha KSRTC’ project in Alappuzha on a pilot basis. “A main challenge was the removal of legacy waste, for which we tied up with the Suchitwa Mission and the local Municipality. While the former helps in the scientific disposal of legacy waste, the latter has handed over waste bins. Also, we received high-pressure jetting pump equipment to clean the buses in minimum time,” the official added.
The plan of action includes setting up waste bins and sustainable mini MCFs (for temporary storage of waste) at various parts of the bus stations, painting and decorating the walls with beautiful pictures and anti-garbage messages, equipping sanitary workers with advanced cleaning equipment, setting up of standard restrooms, and mother and baby corners. The toilet complexes will be kept neat and tidy by entrusting their maintenance to reputed agencies. Also, the focus will be given to keeping bus garages tidy and preventing waterlogging during the monsoon.