Munnar: Solid waste management is a headache for local self-government bodies. Haphazard disposal of wastes leads to water and air pollution, besides risking public health. The challenge mounts in the case of Munnar as it is a prime tourist destination.
The Munnar Grama Panchayat is all set to team up with Malayala Manorama’s ‘Broom Broom Idukki’ challenge to form special projects to keep the hill station clean. Strict action would be initiated by the panchayat to prevent the dumping of waste on roadsides and in public places in the Munnar town.
Manorama had published a report about the solid waste menace along with pictures of heaps of garbage on the roadsides. Following this, the panchayat secretary has conducted inspections in these areas.
"The Panchayat has identified the places where waste materials are constantly being dumped. The areas near the Headworks dam and Anjam Mayil at Rajamala were the places where heaps of waste and garbage were found," its Secretary VR Ajith Kumar stated.
Two mobile squads have been formed to stop waste dumping in these areas, he added.
The squads are headed by the secretary himself and the junior superintendent Krishna Pillai.
If heaps of waste are found near the wayside shops, strict action would be taken against the vendors. The panchayat would collect the waste from these wayside shops by charging a user fee. The organic waste would be collected everyday while the inorganic waste materials would be collected once in three days.
Tourists too beware!
Action would be taken even against tourists if they are found casually throwing waste materials on the roadside.
He said that the Panchayat had recently imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on a resort that had dumped waste materials on the wayside. At the shops and other business establishments, it is the owners’ responsibility to collect waste materials and hand them over to the panchayat.
Ajith Kumar stressed that the panchayat officials would make sure that this system of proper waste management is strictly followed by the shopowners.
