The Hindu 10.02.2010
‘Garbage pile a symbol of Corporation’s ineptitude’
Staff Reporter
| Protest fast organised in front of Thrissur Corporation |
Thrissur: Writer and social activist Sukumar Azhikode has said that the accumulated garbage at Lalur, Thrissur Corporation’s waste disposal site, is a symbol of the ineptitude and insensitivity of the authorities. He was speaking after inaugurating a protest fast here on Tuesday, organised by the Lalur Samara Sahaya Samithy in support of the agitation by the Lalur residents.
Mr. Azhikode said that garbage was dumped at Lalur violating the rules and denying the basic rights of local residents.
Prof. Azhikode alleged that the obduracy of the Corporation authorities has caused the inordinate delay in finding a solution to the burning issue. The Lalur agitation was not against anybody, he said. “The present Corporation Council alone is not responsible for the more than two-decade-old garbage woes of Lalur. But only those in power can find an immediate solution.”
The problems faced by the residents should not be seen as a local issue, he said. “It should be addressed as a problem of the entire city. People of Lalur are forced to bear the burden of the waste generated by the entire city. The Corporation should find a pragmatic solution,” he said.
By not taking steps to solve the problem, the Corporation was making a mockery of itself, he said. “Waste management is a universal issue. There are many successful models even in our neighbourhood. We have to suspect some vested interest when the Corporation refuses to find a sustainable solution,” Prof. Azhikode said.
He alleged a nexus between contractors and some people behind the delaying tactic. He noted that decentralisation is the only lasting solution to the problem. “Instead of dumping the entire city waste at Lalur, arrangements should be made to treat it locally,” he said.
Political activist K. Venu alleged that even when there were many successful models of waste management, the Corporation opted for the not-so-popular engineered land filling and capping technologies.
“Much funds have been wasted for the unsuccessful waste management programmes,” he said.
“If the huge garbage mounds are not cleared before the onset of monsoon, the crisis that occurred last June will re-surface,” he pointed out.
Fr. Devassy Panthallookkaran, Samara Sahaya Samithy chairman K.V. Abdul Aziz, general convener M. Peethambaran, M.P. Mathai, Chithran Namboodirippad and others spoke.
