KOCHI: For the time being the residents of Cheranellore panchayat in the northern boundary of the city can heave a ‘half sigh of relief’ as the vehicles from Kochi Corporation have started picking waste from the limits of panchayat, but streets in the panchayat remain as dirty as ever. In the initial phase waste is collected from 100 houses in each ward, said panchayat president Sony Chikku.
Hibi Eden MLA launched the waste collection on Friday. The waste is segregated as bio-degradable and non-degradable, and the collected waste is dumped at the Brahmapuram plant of Kochi Corporation.
The project was officially inaugurated by former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy but it had failed to take off. People in the panchayat had expressed their resentment over the delay with waste piling up and stench filling up the air. However, the opposition in the panchayat led by the CPM initially staged a protest saying the panchayat authorities were staging a farce by conducting the inauguration again on Friday.
“Anyway we will be co-operating with the initiative since waste is a big menace. However, segregating and then removing the waste piled up on the roadside will be a big task,” said opposition leader in the panchayat, Benny Francis. He said that currently the panchayat has tied up with Kudumbasree units to collect waste.
“But if it has to succeed the residents associations too have to be involved,” Benny Francis said. He said that in the initial phase waste from 100 houses in 12 wards out of 17 wards of the panchayat is being collected. “There are a total of 450 houses in each ward and there is a big task ahead to cover all the houses and streets by the collection drive,” Benny Francis added.
