THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The city corporation has come up with a Rs 10-crore waste management plan for over 8,000 families residing along Karamana river stretch. A study carried out by the Central Pollution Control Board had identified the 4-km stretch from Melekadavu to Munnattumukku of the Karamana river as heavily polluted.
The action comes in the wake of the National Green Tribunal pulling up the civic body for widespread pollution in Karamana river and water bodies in the state capital due to lack of waste management mechanism and proper waste collection.
The civic authorities are on a bid to convince the tribunal about the existing waste management system to save them from statutory action under the Environment (Protection) Act.
The civic body has identified around 28 spots along the river banks for setting up aerobic bins for managing household waste. According to officials, none of the families residing on the banks is managing waste scientifically. It is learnt that the residents living in ‘Puramboke’ land along the river don’t have any mechanism. The civic body has divided the families into clusters for setting up aerobic bins.
“The NGT and PCB have approved our plan to set up aerobic bins. We have identified around 28 spots and the number of aerobic bins would be decided depending on the availability of land,” said corporation secretary L. S. Deepa. Around158 aerobic units are available for the purpose. “The engineering wing is taking the estimates and the project would be finalised very soon,” said the official.
The corporation is also planning to rehabilitate the encroachers residing in puramboke land along the river under the Life Mission scheme. The civic body has launched a socio-economic survey to find out the beneficiaries.
