A mass clean-up drive will pilot the waste-free city beautification project to be implemented with the support of various stakeholders.
A meeting convened by M.G. Rajamanickam, Principal Director, Department of Local Self-Government, on Tuesday decided to come up with a model programme to check the menace of waste dumping. The mass cleaning programme will be taken up at the household level.
The project will have short- and long-term plans. It will begin with a clean-up drive at household and institutional levels. “The intent is to make Kochi waste-free in two years. We may need personal interventions to achieve the target. A change in attitude towards waste management is the need of the hour,” said Mr. Rajamanickam.
He added that changes would emerge through concerted efforts. “Our waste is our responsibility. The Local Self-Government department is planning to increase the fine imposed on those responsible for dumping waste in public/open spaces,” he said.
District Collector N.S.K Umesh claimed that there had been considerable changes in waste management in Kochi over the past three months. The new campaign would involve various organisations and officials, he said.