The vexed problem of waste management in Chinnakkanal panchayat near Munnar in Idukki is finally in for a solution with the Revenue Department identifying land for opening a waste treatment plant for the panchayat.
According to officials, the land was identified after the District Collector ordered the Revenue Department to find suitable land for the plant.
The waste management issue of the panchayat came to light after a video of a baby elephant and its mother feeding on plastic waste from the panchayat-owned dump yard at “ Waste Kuzhi” area inside the reserve forest under the Devikulam forest range near Chinnakkanal went viral on social media.
Chinnakkanal panchayat president Sini Baby told The Hindu that “ office-bearers of the panchayat had visited the proposed 75 cents of land at Suryanelli. There is no human habitation in the area and is situated near the roadside. The panchayat is willing to set up the plant on the proposed land.”
“ The revenue officials said that they will take further steps to hand over the land to the panchayat. When we get the land, we will take further steps to set up the plant,” said Ms Baby.
In June, the Forest Department directed the Chinnakkanal panchayat to stop the waste dumping at ‘Waste Kuzhi.’
“ The panchayat has not yet deposited waste in the area after the Forest Department’s direction. Now the panchayat only collects plastic waste from the panchayat area. Availability of land was the major issue for the panchayat to set up a waste treatment plant,” said Ms. Baby.
According to officials, Chinnakkanal is one of the prime habitats of wild elephants under the Devikulam forest range in Idukki.
