Date:11/07/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/07/11/stories/2007071159430300.htm

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Solid waste treatment plant for Brahmapuram

Panel headed by Collector to monitor waste disposal

Temporary alternative arrangements to be made to dump waste
Approval of the High Court will be sought

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A time-bound project will be carried out for solving the problem of solid waste in Kochi city.

A new plant for processing waste will be set up on the land owned by the city Corporation at Brahmapuram.

A high-level conference convened here on Tuesday by Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan to find solutions to the issue decided to make temporary alternative arrangements for dumping waste. A monitoring committee, headed by the Collector, will oversee waste disposal.

The conference decided that the Corporation and the committee together would identify a place for dumping waste temporarily. The approval of the High Court would be sought for this. The cost for disposal of the waste under the committee would be borne by the Corporation.

The services of an environment engineer would be made available to the Corporation on a temporary basis and existing posts of engineers for overseeing waste disposal would be filled.

The question of gathering of waste by the Kudumbasree volunteers on the lines of the scheme implemented in Kozhikode Corporation and some wards of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation would be considered.

Seeks cooperation

The Chief Minister urged all to cooperate in solving the problem. Minister for Local Self-Government Paloli Mohammed Kutty, Fisheries Minister S. Sarma, Public Works Minister T.U. Kuruvilla and Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy were among those who attended the conference.