1 week ago
108
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has devised an action plan for prevention of illegal interstate movement of solid waste from Kerala to Tamil Nadu.
Following a directive from the southern bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which is hearing a suo motu case against the illegal dumping of waste from Kerala near Anamalai, Tamil Nadu based on a news report published by The Hindu, the CPCB made field visits, met several stakeholders, and held high-level consultation meetings with the pollution control boards of both the States.
During inspections, the CPCB observed significant gaps in Kerala’s solid waste management such as limited collection of solid waste (the State’s average waste collection being only 30%), unavailability of inventory on solid waste management with the Local Self-Government Department (LSGD) and the Kerala State Pollution Control Board (SPCB), inadequate facilities for the management of solid waste, and absence of a system to monitor waste movement checks at interstate borders both on the side of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
The CPCB also found mismanagement of biomedical wastes generated from households in violation against the Bio Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016.
With only one cement plant operating in Kerala — Malabar Cements, Palakkad — the non-recyclable wastes are being sent for co-processing to cement industries in Tamil Nadu. However, there is no proper assessment and records of the quantity of waste being sent from Kerala, the CPCB noted.
Action plan
In the action plan submitted to the NGT, the Kerala SPCB has been asked to ensure that all local bodies prepare a detailed inventory of the waste management system in their jurisdiction.
To strengthen the capacity of solid waste management, the CPCB has directed Kerala’s Suchitwa Mission — the technical support group for waste management — to identify the gaps in solid waste management specifically with respect to non-recyclable wastes; prepare a detailed project report for setting up of adequate treatment and disposal facilities; ensure only well-equipped waste agencies are empanelled to provide services to local bodies.
Furthermore, the CPCB has asked the Clean Kerala Company Limited, a government agency responsible for the comprehensive management of dry wastes (both recyclable and non-recyclable), to develop adequate facilities for the management of these wastes and also obtain requisite permission from Kerala SPCB. The action plan also stresses on better management of biomedical waste and developing an online tracking system to ensure waste generators/receivers/transporters are registered.
The CPCB has instructed Tamil Nadu SPCB to conduct a detailed inventory of the co-processing and recycling units and assess the quantity of wastes that can be received from Kerala. “This information shall be shared with Kerala SPCB to ensure that no excess waste is transported from Kerala for updating the list of receivers in the online waste tracking system,” the plan said.
