Kollam: Despite Kollam being ranked among the top-performing districts in the Malinyamuktha Nava Keralam (Waste-Free New Kerala) campaign, the dream of a completely waste-free city still feels out of reach. Water bodies clogged with floating plastic bottles, coastal stretches littered with food wrappers and waste and the open dumping of toilet waste continue to mar the cityscape. The situation calls for urgent attention.

One of the most glaring examples is Kollam Port, which has virtually turned into a major dumping ground. The scene here paints a grim picture with mounds of garbage, including food waste, paper, liquor bottles, plastic containers, milk sachets, and even discarded footwear from nearby shops, lie scattered. Once, the Clean Kerala Mission took charge of clearing plastic waste from the area, but that effort has been discontinued. And even when the waste is cleared, new heaps replace it within days.

Burnt or buried, waste keeps coming
The stretch along the Kollam Canal, from Kondoth Bridge to Kachikkadavu, is another hotspot for illegal dumping. Waste, especially plastic, is not just dumped but also frequently burned, filling the air with toxic fumes. Residents allege that much of the dumping happens under the cover of night, aided by thick vegetation that hides the activity. The growing menace of stray dogs is another fallout of this unchecked dumping.

In Ward 6, the seashore areas between Mundakkal and Papanasham, where several houses have been destroyed by coastal erosion, are now being used as informal dump sites. Garbage continues to accumulate along the Kollam Canal and in areas near Vedikkunnu.

Even public spaces like the beach are not spared. Visitors casually toss ice cream wrappers and chip packets, ignoring the bottle booth meant for plastic disposal. Ironically, while a designated spot exists, many continue to discard waste around it. Worse still, items other than plastic bottles are being crammed into these booths, defeating their purpose.