Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has recommended stringent measures to check illegal dumping of untreated sewage into the open spaces and water bodies in Ernakulam, Kottayam and Alappuzha districts.
He asked the District Collectors to step up action against violators at a zonal review meeting of Ernakulam, Idukki, Kottayam and Alappuzha districts held in Kochi on October 3.
The programme was meant to evaluate the progress of various developmental works and welfare measures for the public initiated by the Left front government. Ministers and senior bureaucrats attended.
Mr. Vijayan asked the authorities to set up necessary facilities for the management of solid and liquid waste. The illegal dumping of waste has gone down after the Kerala government initiated the ‘Waste-free Kerala’ programme. However, the government will strengthen its action against those found involved in illegal waste dumping in violation of the rules, he said.
The District Collectors informed that door-step collection of non-biodegradable waste has improved under their limits. The efforts to set up faecal sludge treatment plants are progressing. The process of installing vehicle-mounted faecal sludge treatment plants is also moving ahead as per the plans, they said.
The meeting reviewed poverty eradication programmes, mission-mode works, State and national highway projects, welfare programmes, and new projects for each district. Ernakulam District Collector N.S.K. Umesh informed that more green islands will be set up in the district as part of the Haritha Keralam Mission.
The meeting observed that flooding due to high tide was affecting normal life in Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Kottayam districts. The Chief Minister directed the officials to draft a project to address the issue of silt deposits impacting the depth of Vembanad Lake.
