The Hindu 12.01.2012
Meet highlights urgent need to tackle garbage menace
A comprehensive solution has eluded the policy makers despite the city generating an appalling increase in waste, an awareness programme on waste management observed.
Addressing the function, S. Gopinath, Inspector General of Police (Thrissur Range), said poor civic sense was the major reason for the situation. “Those who keep their home spic and span never mind throwing garbage at every street corner. Our sense of cleanliness ends at the entrance to the road,” he said. Operation Sweep, the ambitious project of the Kerala Police to turn public places litter-free, would not be a success without the community participation, he said. The police would take stringent action against those who dispose of garbage in public places.
The police have launched ‘Operation Sweep' following a judgement by the High Court (WP (c) No. 27052/11) against throwing solid waste in public places. Those who pollute environment with plastic would be booked under Sections 268 read with sections 269 and 278 of the Indian Penal Code and 120 (e) of the Kerala Police Act. Management of solid waste was a great challenge in urban areas in the midst of fast-paced development, said C. S. Sreenivasan, Standing Committee Chairman (Health) of Thrissur Corporation. Only a decentralised system of waste management with effective ban on plastic carry bags could significantly reduce the problem, he said. The city corporations initiative to ban plastic was well-received by the public. It showed that the public was keen to tackle the menace, he said.
Mr. Sreenivasan said the Corporation was confident the situation would improve once the decentralised waste management project started functioning. “The civic body is working towards streamlining the waste collection and source segregation process. The accumulated garbage at Lalur dumpyard will be removed soon. We plan to use the garbage removed from Lalur for land-filling at abandoned quarries.”
