THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Despite posters which proudly claim that it is a plastic-free campus, the Kariavattom campus of Kerala University is yet to get fully converted into one. Many of the events which are held in the campus continue to serve food in disposable plates and water in plastic bottles or disposable cups. At events held inside the campus, chief guests are given packaged bottles of water. While instructions have been given to every department to avoid serving food at college functions, in some cases it is inevitable, according to R. Dileep, Joint Registrar, Campus Administration, Kerala University.
There would be open PhD thesis defence almost every month, where food would be served. Even at the senate meetings, according to sources, water is served in plastic bottles. The college had started a ‘Green Charter’ advocating green practices, including the use of ethnic alternatives to even plastic-clad assignments. Green squads were formed under every department. Various departments bought steel plates and glasses to comply with green protocol, according to Achuthsankar S Nair, director, Quality Assurance, University of Kerala.
There is a silver lining as it used to be worse a year ago, with dump sites dotting the vast campus, according to R Dileep. The college canteen continues to sell packaged drinks in bottles. A complete ban of plastic might not help, unless the government takes a firm step in the direction, he says. In order to put a check on the use of disposable materials, a ‘green protocol committee’ is about to be formed, according to syndicate member K Manickaraj. “Corporation has promised to support with a source-level waste management system,” he added.
