Corporation transports 70L litres of septage in 4 months

Thiruvananthapuram: Approximately 70 lakh litres of liquid waste have been transported by city corporation to the sewage treatment plant at Muttathara within four months of launch of online booking system for septage collection.
The system has till now grossed a revenue of Rs 47.72 lakh of which corporation’s share amounts to Rs 12.97 lakh as per the collection data.
Since April, 1,582 trips have been completed by the tanker trucks licensed under the system. According to officials, more than the revenue it is the quantity of septage that has been properly transported to Muttathara which matters the most.
“Earlier major part of the waste used to be dumped either by the roadside or in water bodies. The residents were forced to pay huge amounts for the illegal disposal of liquid waste. The number of bookings per month has gone up considerably since the launch of the initiative,” said a health official monitoring the project.
The bookings have mostly come from 10 wards, apparently without sewerage networks. Kazhakkoottam recorded the highest number of bookings till August with 227 bookings followed by Attipra; 164.
Individual households have availed the most from the system so far; as per records 756 bookings were made by individuals for septage collection. Hotels and restaurants, which had till then relied on private tankers for unauthorized collection and disposal of septage, also made 694 bookings till August.
The city corporation, which has been insisting on source-level septage management in flats, processed 99 applications from high-rise residential buildings for septage collection. “We are planning to bring more tanker trucks under the system. The bookings are on the rise and we are close to ensuring total prevention of dumping of septage in water bodies and drains,” an official said.
Mayor V K Prasanth said, “The earlier system involved registering with corporation and waiting for months. Use of mobile app enabled people to make use of the system in a swift manner. We also installed GPS in all vehicles, which helps us to track them effectively. Mission Eagle Eye, which ensured night vigil against private parties indulging in unauthorized collection of septage, also prompted both tanker truck owners and residents to use authorized system for collection of septage”.
He said that the corporation would soon become a model in liquid waste management. “We are simultaneously undertaking sewerage projects in wards which are not connected to the scheme,” said Prasanth.
The city corporation is also set to introduce personal protection equipment for septage collection. “The point was included in the by-law and as the system progresses we will switch to the next level where all those who are involved in septage collection will have to wear personal protection equipment,” the official said.