Kochi: Kerala would be made a zero-waste state in five years, according to Minister for Local Self-Government K.T Jaleel. Inaugurating the investors’ meet to promote recycling industries in Kerala here on Friday, Mr. Jaleel said that the government would provide all support for investors who propose eco-friendly feasible projects for waste management. The land available with local bodies and industries department will be provided for such projects. Steps have been taken to identify ideal plots available with the state government for waste recycling projects, he said.
“Centralised waste management plants like Vilappilsala are not suitable and practical and the government’s focus is on promoting decentralised methods. As per the plastic waste management rules, 2016, the manufacturer or importer is responsible for recycling the electronic waste and plastic waste. The law will be strictly implemented,” he said.
“An Indo-Japanese project with a capacity to treat five tonnes of organic waste per day is proposed to be set up at Cheranalloor. The scheme will be replicated in other places if found successful. A waste-to-energy plant will be commissioned in Sultan Bathery municipality in six months from which KSEB will procure power,” he said.
Mr Jaleel stressed the need for innovative technologies for recycling e-waste, metal, paper and plastic. “The only facility in the state for biomedical waste management is the plant set up by the Indian Medical Association in Palakkad which is grossly inadequate,” he added.
Regarding the issues over building permits, Mr. Jaleel said that adalats will be conducted in all corporations starting with Thiruvananthapuram on January 30 to address the shortcomings in the issue of building permits. All corporations would shortly have online facilities for the application and receipt of building permits for which steps had already been initiated, he added.
