MB Rajesh: Kerala Will Become A Garbage-Free State

October 20, 2022

MB Rajesh: Kerala Will Become A Garbage-Free State: Local Self-Government Excise Minister MB Rajesh said that Kerala can be declared a garbage-free state by 2026. This achievement can be achieved through various schemes like Sanitation Mission, Kerala Solid Waste Management Scheme, Amrit, Nagar Sanchaya, and Waste to Energy. The high-level meeting chaired by the minister also decided to ensure coordinated action in the field of waste management. The minister also proposed to take special intervention in the field of liquid waste.

State and District Committees will be streamlined to effectively coordinate the activities of various agencies. Representatives of various agencies concerned with waste management will be its members. At the state level, the coordination task will be done by the Sanitation Mission under the supervision of the Additional Chief Secretary, the Local Self-Government Department. The minister also directed that the ongoing waste management projects in various areas of the state should be completed urgently.

Steps will be taken to increase the participation of private investors in the field of waste management as a sector with great investment potential. The International Technical Conclave will be held at Ernakulam on January 12, 13, and 14 to introduce the latest technology and systems available in the field of waste management. The minister also informed that people’s representatives and officials from all the local bodies of the state will participate in the conclave. The government is aiming for the most modern method of waste management in a hassle-free manner for the public. Public perception towards waste management projects should change. Actions will also be taken to create awareness that untreated waste is more dangerous than treated waste. He also asked people to cooperate with the waste management projects so that Kerala does not reach a state of a health emergency.

Green Karma Sena will be strengthened as the only agency in the state to collect garbage. A monthly salary of at least ten thousand rupees will be ensured to the Green Karma Sena members. All garbage collection and disposal will be effectively monitored through the Smart Garbage app. It was also decided in the meeting to immediately extend the operation of the Smart Garbage App to all local self-government bodies in the state. The meeting assessed that non-availability of land to start waste management projects is a crisis. M.B. Rajesh also stated that the Local Self-Government Department will make efforts to get the land of various government agencies.

Local Self-Government Department Additional Chief Secretary Sharada Muralidharan, Urban Affairs Director Arun K Vijayan, Sanitation Mission Executive Director KT Balabhaskar, KSWMP MD Dr. Adeela Abdullah, and others attended the meeting.