The Kerala State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) on Wednesday started monitoring and site sampling processes at the demolition sites at Maradu as part of a directive issued by the State Level Monitoring Committee (SLMC) on Solid Waste Management constituted by the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
The board will continuously monitor the debris removal and dust levels at the sites. A team of board officials carried out site sampling work at the Alfa Serene apartment building site in the morning. “The SLMC had asked the board to closely monitor the debris removal till it was over. We have to ensure that all construction and demolition waste are transported in covered vehicles only,” said M.A. Baiju, Chief Environmental Engineer, Regional Office of the board in Ernakulam.
SLMC Chairman A.V. Ramakrishna Pillai, who had visited the sites on February 3, had made it clear that the Maradu municipal secretary was responsible for the safe handling of construction waste. The board had to ensure that the removal was in accordance with the Construction and Demolition Rules, 2016 aimed at protecting the environment.
The committee had asked the Maradu municipality authorities to ensure that CCTV was installed at the strategic points of all sites to make the monitoring process effective. The civic authorities had pointed out that it would be difficult to install cameras as there was no power supply at the sites. The chairman had directed that alternate power support had to be provided and the direction should be implemented without raising lame excuses.
He also directed that a tri-party agreement should be entered into by the service providers, municipality and the party who would further manage the materials. It should be handed over to the District Collector with copies to other members of the joint committee constituted as per the directives of the NGT.