Meenangadi gears up to be first carbon-neutral panchayat

KALPETTA: The Meenangadi village panchayat which is aiming to become the first carbon neutral panchayat of the nation is busy trying to meet the target set for completing the first phase of the project. The energy audit has been completed to assess the utilization of energy including electricity and firewood by each house, shops and institutions.  Surveys on plastic usage, waste generated in each house, trees to be planted in each piece of land, the need for waste processing units in each house and plastic  shredding units to be installed, is underway.

It is to be recalled that finance minister T.M. Thomas Isaac had evinced interest in the project two years ago when the panchayat launched the project.  When he became the finance minister, Mr Isaac set apart Rs 10 crore for the implementation of the project. Aimed at creating an environment with zero carbon footprint, the target is to reduce carbon emissions to zero level by eliminating circumstances that cause pollution, carbon emissions and plastic waste.

Meenangadi village panchayat president Beena Vijayan told DC that the volunteers visited 8,000 houses for the survey. “We have also listed the total number of trees to be planted in the panchayat under the project and have also listed the type of trees needed in each piece of land. The major consideration while selecting seedlings would be its economic as well as ecological contribution”, she added. The works on the nursery for seedlings to be planted next year also has begun, she pointed out.

The panchayat will install the Thumboormuzhy model aerobic composting waste management system for common places like schools, offices and institutions.   In the first phase, the units would come up in schools and later be installed in other institutions. To help households in waste management, the aerobic model of pot composting would be implemented which has three pots. The total cost for a unit is Rs 1,550 of which the beneficiary needs to pay only Rs 55. In the first phase, the method would be implemented in 250 households. To create awareness about various methods, a massive camp was conducted for students who will in turn disseminate the information in the panchayat. Bio-bins also are coming up in small firms and institutions.