THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The City Corporation will kick off its ambitious decentralised solid waste management project on November 15. The Corporation Council that met here on Thursday gave the go-ahead to implement the project in 15 wards in the first phase.The Health Standing Committee of the Corporation has charted out a detailed campaign to take the programme to the masses. The initial steps like the short-listing of agencies engaged in providing biogas and other decentralised treatment modes, holding of demonstration of the various service providers and classes for councillors have already been held. The Corporation will organise a one-day workshop where the decentralised programme would be placed for a talk before a panel of experts on October 30. Eminent personalities engaged in solid waste management and sanitation would participate, apart from councillors and agencies. The technical aspects of implementing the programme would be discussed. On November 3, a mass convention would be held at VJT Hall, which would be attended by residents’ associations, NGOs and other agencies involved in sanitation projects. On November 9, a mass convention would be organised at Gandhi Park to inform the public about the programme planned by the Corporation to reduce transportation of garbage to Vilappilsala. The convention would be attended by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan. On November 15, the programme would be launched in 15 wards- Muttada, Thampanoor, Palayam, Nanthancode, Pattom, Kesavadasapuram, Kowdiar, Kuravankonam, Vazhuthacaud, Palkulangara, Poojapura, Fort, Sasthamangalam, Vanchiyoor and Kunnukuzhy. The official inauguration of the programme would be held in Muttada ward on the day. However, in the other wards, the inaugurations would be held from November 16 to 31. The City Corporation has identified five agencies who would implement the programme in wards. In the initial phase, 2,000 biogas plants, 650 vermicompost and 1,100 ring-compost plants would be set up.The councillors have been asked to organise ward-level programmes and campaigns to give publicity to the idea. Presenting the campaign before the Council on Thursday, Mayor K Chandrika said that it was up to the councillors to make it a successful venture. Though the Corporation has set aside funds from its own pocket for the programme, it has also asked the support of the State Government. However, no financial assistance has been given so far.It is following the massive protest in Vilappilsala by the locals against the way their village has been turned into a dumping yard by the Corporation that the local body was forced to withdraw its centralised waste management project and go in for a decentralised one.
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