Kochi | Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Friday said Keralam would set up model plants for plastic waste disposal and waste-to-energy conversion within two years, creating systems that other states could adopt.
Inaugurating the Local Self-Government Department's five-year campaign, 'Nirmalam – A New Era of Clean Keralam', Satheesan said the state should not have to depend on other states for waste management models, but should instead become a destination for officials and representatives from elsewhere to study its systems.
"We should set up two or three model plants in Keralam for plastic waste disposal. We need four or five model plants for converting regular waste into power. Within one or two years, no one should need to travel to Indore or anywhere else to study waste management. We should have an even better system," he said.
The Nirmalam campaign aims to make Keralam completely waste-free by March 30, 2031.
Satheesan said the initiative was not merely a campaign but a comprehensive action plan with specific targets and timelines divided into three phases.
Waste management was one of the biggest challenges facing the state and had been accorded high priority by the government, he said, adding that although several initiatives had been implemented, much more remained to be done.
He said waste management should become part of civic culture, noting that Malayalis living abroad generally followed the waste disposal practices of their host countries but did not always maintain the same discipline back home.
"This is also a matter of culture. It is part of our culture," he said.
Satheesan stressed the need to educate people about scientific methods of treating biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste, including emerging categories such as e-waste.
Local bodies, including municipalities and panchayats, should provide clear instructions on waste segregation, storage, collection, transportation and final processing, he said.
Waste should be viewed not as rubbish but as wealth, and the government should explore ways to convert it into energy or put it to other productive uses, he added.
Outlining a three-step process, Satheesan said waste should first be processed and minimised at the household level, followed by the collection of material that could not be managed at home and its transportation to designated processing facilities.
He stressed the need for covered waste transport vehicles to prevent spillage, foul odour and public exposure to waste during transit.
"If a waste collection vehicle passes through a busy road, people standing on the roadside shouldn't even realise it. Waste transport vehicles must be completely covered," he said.
Large-scale waste management projects were being launched across the state, including initiatives in Kozhikode and Kochi with support from Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited and other agencies, he said.
The Kochi Corporation had allocated another 12 acres for a new project, which would significantly improve waste management in the city, he added.
Satheesan said the government would extend full support to local bodies and provide access to central and state government schemes and funding for waste management.
He welcomed the proposal to identify waste dumping sites within 100 days as part of the campaign and organise community clean-up drives, stressing that such locations should not be allowed to become dumping sites again.
Public representatives, residents' associations and local organisations should work together to clear the spots and maintain them through sustained community participation, he said.
Satheesan cautioned local bodies against falling for shell companies making exaggerated claims about foreign waste management technologies and said only experienced companies and proven models should be considered.
The government would directly handle the matter and allocate the necessary funds to the Local Self-Government Department, he said.
"I usually don't publicly commit funds like this since I handle Finance, but I am committing to this because it is a top priority," he said.
He said all canals and streams in the state should be cleaned and kept free of pollution, weeds and moss.
Canals should be maintained in such a way that boating activities could also be introduced, he said.
"Our vision is to transform Keralam into a place cleaner than any global destination, where no litter is visible anywhere," he said, congratulating the LSGD minister and officials for preparing the programme within a short period.
LSGD Minister K M Shaji and Ernakulam MP Hibi Edean also spoke on the occasion.
