THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A conflict over the movement of food waste across the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border has left pig farmers in the bordering regions in a fix. Last week, during border checking, the special task force of police in Kanyakumari seized five vehicles and arrested nine persons for transporting food waste intended for pig farms in Kerala.
The Tamil Nadu government and the Pollution Control Board have stepped up border checking following repeated incidents of illegal dumping of medical and other waste in the bordering villages of Tamil Nadu last month. Subsequently, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had also intervened and registered a suo motu case for dumping hazardous medical waste in Tamil Nadu.
According to Pig Farmers Association (PFA), Kerala, there are around 37 major pig farms owned by Keralites in bordering areas. “Cross-border movement of food waste is becoming a major concern. There are farmers who have operations there.
There are local farmers too depending on the food waste from Kerala. We have decided to take it up with the state government and there should be some kind of administrative dialogues between the two governments to find a resolution to the issue,” said K Bhasi, state secretary, PFA.
With the movement of waste from Kerala to Tamil Nadu coming under the scanner of NGT, the state government has also stepped up vigil. The local self-government institutions (LSGIs) in bordering areas of Tamil Nadu have been asked to step up surveillance in border areas to prevent the illegal movement of waste from Kerala to Tamil Nadu.
Chief Secretary Saradha Muraleedharan told TNIE that the state has developed a digital platform to monitor the pig farms in the state and streamline the movement of food waste to pig farms. “The new digital system will be piloted soon. It’s a very complex matter and we have to quantify the requirement of food waste to these farms and ensure that exact quantities of waste are supplied to these farms daily.
Once this is rolled out we will be able to address a lot of issues,” said Saradha Muraleedharan. She said that the state government has been in touch with the Tamil Nadu government and has a common app to check cross border movement of waste. “The NGT has also constituted a committee and the Pollution Control Boards of both states are working together to resolve the issue,” she said.
Giving a major relief for the pig farmers, the state government has given relaxation in the regulations. “The relaxations have come as a boon and now majority of the farmers will get registration and licences,” said Bhasi.
According to the association, there are around 12,000 pig farms in the state and they manage approximately 1,800 tonnes of food waste generated daily. The regularisation of pig farms will benefit the LSGIs in the state struggling to manage bio-degradable waste.
Platform to track farms
Kerala has developed a digital platform to monitor pig farms in the state and streamline the movement of food waste to farms
The platform will be piloted soon. Additionally, the state and the Tamil Nadu government has a common app to check cross border movement of waste