Grappled with the problem of garbage management at the start of this Sabarimala pilgrimage season, the Erumely grama panchayat on Monday operationalised the first phase of its Thumboormuzhy-model waste treatment plant.
Officials said the local body hurried into launching the project as waste management in the area, the base station of Sabarimala, had gone out of control.
For instance, mounds of decomposing food waste lying along the Sabarimala route at Kodithottam, had made life miserable for about 150 families there.
The stench emanating from the rotting waste and the swarm of flies have triggered health concerns.
“Any further delay in opening the plant might have led to serious health issues as mounds of garbage, comprising both plastic and food items, have begun to appear at different locations in and around Erumely,” said T.S. Krishna Kumar, president of the local body. Earlier attempts by the local body to launch the project ahead of the season had fallen flat owing to technical reasons.
The ₹55-lakh project, set up on two acres of land, comprises a bio-waste processing unit and a plastic shredding unit. The bio-waste unit has a capacity to process 40 tonnes of garbage every month.
Ten kiosks will be opened in the local body to accept waste and a 125-member squad comprising workers from Tamil Nadu will clean all major streets.
Bears the brunt
While Erumely buzzes with activity round the clock during the two-month season, every season also leaves behind tonnes of garbage in the area.
The local body, comprising two Ayyappa temples and the Vavar mosque, however, is left to fend for itself once the season ends.
As per estimates, around 2.5 crore of Sabarimala pilgrims passed through the town during the previous season. During the peak season, around seven to eight tonnes of garbage was being generated in the town on a daily basis. Though there has been a dip in the number of pilgrims so far this season, the authorities expect the numbers to rise sharply from next week.