Lack of segregated waste collection hubs sets back Thiruvananthapuram Corporation’s waste management efforts

Lack of segregated waste collection hubs sets back Thiruvananthapuram Corporation's waste management efforts Although periodic waste collection programmes are organised in some wards, these are not a replacement for a permanent collection hub.

Key points

• The last one at Sasthamangalam was closed in June after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) councillor R.
• Though Haritha Karma Sena volunteers collect waste from doorstep throughout most wards, the collected waste is limited to plastic.
• Waste segregation was not something that naturally came to the capital city residents.
• Although periodic waste collection programmes are organised in some wards, these are not a replacement for a permanent collection hub.

Waste segregation was not something that naturally came to the capital city residents. Back in 2017 and the years after that, the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation as well as the State administration took a number of efforts to inculcate in the population the habit of segregating waste. One of the steps was the introduction of a segregated dry waste collection hub meant for the public to hand over a range of non biodegradable waste materials.

Although only a few such hubs were opened in the city, they rapidly achieved popularity and a substantial amount of waste began to be handed over at these hubs. Nevertheless, with the closure of the last remaining hub near Sasthamangalam in June, the city Corporation's waste management efforts are additionally held back as individuals are left without a facility to conveniently hand over waste. Although periodic waste collection programmes are organised in some wards, these are not a replacement for a permanent collection hub.

For context, the city had a few dry waste collection facilities, with separate bins for segregated collection of glass, plastic, cloth, tin, paper waste and old footwear and bags. The last one at Sasthamangalam was closed in June after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) councillor R. Sreelekha raised a demand for the closure of the facility. It was located in front of her office.

Though Haritha Karma Sena volunteers collect waste from doorstep throughout most wards, the collected waste is limited to plastic. As per the earlier model, the different kinds of waste collected at the hubs as well as during the periodic collection programmes in wards was handed over to various agencies for recycling. This prevented sizeable amounts of waste from getting dumped in public spaces.

Taken together, the developments around lack of segregated waste collection hubs sets back Thiruvananthapuram Corporation's waste management point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.