With the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) predicting above normal Southwest monsoon for Kerala, the Kottayam district administration has now directed the local self-government institutions in the district to complete pre-monsoon cleaning programme by May 20.
As per the directive, the local body secretary will bear full responsibility for ensuring the completion of pre-monsoon sanitation tasks. Immediate action must be taken to achieve total door-to-door waste collection – from all households and institutions. Efforts to sanitise public spaces, address waterlogging issues, and clear blockages in water bodies must be initiated. To accomplish this, the effectiveness of ward-level hygiene committees must be enhanced.
Households, institutions, and workplaces have also been directed to observe dry days. Source-level waste disposal activities and drain cleaning operations should also be prioritised. The involvement of various community groups, including Kudumbashree officials, ASHA activists, Haritha Karma Sena, Resident Welfare Associations, NGOs, NSS, NCC, Bharat Scouts and Guides, SPC, Youth Organisations, Youth Clubs, Traders, Industrialists, and voluntary-cultural organisations, is crucial for creating garbage-free areas through cleaning efforts.
A comprehensive list of public health concerns, such as garbage dumps and waterlogged areas, must be compiled. Establishments and households that fail to adhere to proper waste management practices will face legal action under the Public Health Act.
In addition to pre-monsoon sanitation efforts, steps should be made to raise awareness about organic and inorganic waste management, with Kudumbashree playing a key role, for which training should be provided to the Haritha Karma Sena.
The field officers under the Health department have been tasked with identifying houses and establishments where waste management is lacking and reporting it to the local body secretaries concerned. The local body secretaries will review all sanitation and waste management activities every two days. Any individuals found to be mishandling waste will face legal action. The District Enforcement squad, meanwhile, will carry out pre-monsoon inspections.
Local bodies are required to develop transportation and waste removal plans to transfer waste from and all garbage must be cleared from the mini Material Collection Facilities by May 15.
Grama panchayats and municipalities can allocate ₹30,000 per ward for pre-monsoon cleaning, with ₹10,000 each through Suchitwa Mission, National Health Mission, and the local body’s own fund. The governing body can approve up to ₹10,000 more from the local self-government’s funds for cleaning identified areas.
