The state government is planning to hand over to local bodies, the
lead role in the implementation of the waste management projects. Going
back from an earlier decision, the Urban Affairs Dept says they will now
act only as a facilitator. The Suchitwa Mission will continue to
provide technical assistance for such projects.

Consequently, the
responsibility of managing the seven state-of-the-art waste management
plants, proposed by the government a year ago, in the five Corporations
will rest with the respective local bodies.

 M Dileep Kumar,
Suchitwa Mission Executive Director said: “We are awaiting a policy
decision on this matter. The government will only take a final decision
after deliberations. The proposed projects in various cities will not be
implemented directly by the state government and instead the respective
local bodies will be entrusted with the lead role.”

 He further
said that although the role of the state government will be curtailed,
it may still play a major part in the tendering process and while
deciding on the mode of implementation.

 “In view of a change in
policy, the tendering process in Kannur and Ernakulam was cancelled a
couple of months back,” Dileep Kumar said.

 Sources said the
government was forced to think of a policy shift following certain
issues related with the proposed waste management plant at Chalai in
Thiruvanthapuram.

 With the mandate shifting to the shoulder of
local bodies, they may have to commit buying electricity or other
products manufactured by these waste plants, which will be set up in the
PPP model.

 Taking a jibe at the government, Kozhikode Mayor A K
Premajam said: “More than a year ago government informed that it would
implement a waste management project in Kozhikode. But nothing has taken
place so far. Any way we will welcome any move to hand over the
responsibility of implementation of treatment plants to local bodies”.