Considering the rising number of complaints against transporting   waste materials to the Solid Waste Treatment Plant at Brahmapuram on uncovered vehicles, the Kochi Corporation authorities are planning to  introduce 13 compact covered trucks for waste collection.

The vehicles would be purchased within three months by utilising the  funds under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).

“We are planning to introduce the vehicles by June. Each compact truck is   expected to cost `35 lakh and more number of vehicles will be introduced  by July. The vehicles will be covered and waste will not be visible to the public and the stench will not be felt either. It will also prevent leakage of filthy water while transporting garbage,” said Kochi Corporation Health Standing Committee chairman T K Ashraf.

He said that currently, the Corporation is transporting waste to the  treatment plant in hired lorries. “We are now conducting 40 to 60 services to the plant every day. The Corporation is spending a considerable amount  every month for transportation, especially as rent for the lorries,” he said. He added that 13 vehicles will not be sufficient enough to meet the requirement and more number of compact covered trucks will be introduced later, in the second phase of JNNURM. While transporting waste in open trucks, the contingency workers usually cover it with tarpaulin. But, this will not prevent leakage of the filthy water from the waste thus causing miseries to the motorist, especially in motor bikes.

When these trucks get stuck at traffic signals, the water will stagnate at the road leaving the area stinking for hours.

However, T K Ashraf said instructions would be given to workers to avoid transporting waste during peak hours.

“Till the arrival of covered vehicles, we will have to transport waste in  manually-covered tippers. Hence, we have given instructions to the workers not to transport waste during day time. But, if the waste is not transported everyday to the plant, it will lead to piling up,” he added.