24x7 surveillance squad near TVM airport to curb waste dumping

Thiruvananthapuram Corporation has deployed a round-the-clock surveillance squad within a four-kilometre radius of the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport to prevent illegal waste dumping. The initiative, aimed at ensuring flight safety, was communicated by the Corporation Secretary to the Kerala State Human Rights Commission.

The move follows a directive from the commission chairperson, Justice Alexander Thomas. The intervention was prompted by a petition filed by human rights activist Ragam Rahim after an incident on April 15, 2023, where an Oman Airways flight suffered engine damage after colliding with an eagle near the airport. To eliminate the accumulation of waste that attracts birds, the municipal corporation has engaged the Haritha Karma Sena to ensure systematic collection and processing of inorganic waste from local residences. Households in the vicinity have also been provided with kitchen bins to manage organic waste at source. Furthermore, five aerobic bins have been installed at key locations, including Vallakkadavu Sulaiman Street and the NS Depot, to facilitate proper biodegradable waste management.

The city health inspector attended the commission's hearing to report on these initiatives. Justice Alexander Thomas directed the corporation authorities to maintain a strict vigil to ensure that no inorganic or organic waste is dumped in the open in these sensitive zones. By strictly implementing these waste-disposal measures, the authorities aim to eliminate bird attractants and guarantee hazard-free flight operations in the future.