The State Level Monitoring Committee on Solid Waste Management constituted by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has recommended elevating Subhash Chandrabose Road in Ernakulam, K.B. Jacob Road in Fort Kochi and Mattancherry BOT Bridge to Alexander Parambithara Road near Kundanoor as ‘Zero Waste Roads’.
The directive forms part of the efforts by the committee to make roads ‘waste-free’ and to ensure a healthy ecosystem for the public.
“We have recommended installing more cameras and surprise checks by squads to prevent waste dumping on roads,” A.V. Ramakrishna Pillai, Chairman of the State Level Monitoring Committee, told The Hindu.
The local bodies concerned and enforcement agencies will have to initiate steps to slap penalty on those found dumping waste, he said.
The Additional Chief Secretary of the Department of Local-Self Government had informed the committee that Kochi Corporation should make significant progress in waste management. The corporation has to step up inspection in areas under its jurisdiction to prevent dumping of waste.
The committee found heaps of solid waste dumped along the service roads of the NH-66 Edappally-Aroor bypass despite the stretch being proposed as a zero waste road.
The lack of surveillance cameras and proper enforcement seem to have aided violators to use the margins of the road for waste dumping. Garbage heaps are visible at various spots along the city.
Besides household waste, the garbage mounts also include slaughter and construction waste. Those involved in the illegal activity were often seen dumping waste during the night hours.
Waste transportation in the city is being carried out in uncovered vehicles, causing spillage of waste and leachate along the city roads.
The corporation has been facing shortage of covered vehicles for collection and transportation of solid waste to Brahmapuram.
The district administration had issued a direction after a major fire at the dump site recently that the civic body should transport garbage only in covered vehicles.
The police have been directed to seize uncovered vehicles used for garbage movement.
Though the Corporation owns 10 compact garbage trucks, 24 covered tippers, and 40-odd mini tippers, most of them remain in disrepair inflicting huge expenditure on it by way of rent for contract vehicles.