THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The State Innovation Meet held here on Tuesday witnessed not only innovators but also top bureaucrats lamenting the lack of a congenial ecosystem in the state, that too in the presence of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.
Industries principal secretary P. H. Kurian said the state has failed to create a spirit of innovation among the innovators. He also indirectly flayed the government's lackadaisical attitude against flexboards.
“The streets are filled with flex boards, most of which are of political parties," he said. “Even pictures of pollution control award winners are printed on flex boards. About 6,000-ton chemical waste is produced by this in the state every year. But no serious thoughts are given on recycling these chemicals."
He also criticised the norm that industrial units need to renew licences every year, saying the unwanted system fostered corruption.
Mattancherry native Vinaya Ram, who developed a flexible road divider to minimise impacts in case of vehicles ramming into dividers, said that though he had knocked the door of many government agencies with the product but was humiliated every time.
Mr Chandy assured him that he would direct National Transportation Planning and Research Council to consider the project. He said response to the startup scheme in the state were overwhelming.
Planning minister K. C. Joseph, Kerala State Innovation Council chair L. Radhakrishnan and Kerala Startup Mission chief executive officer Jayashankar Prasad also spoke.
