Amayizhanjan tragedy: Plastic ban to be tightened, vehicles dumping waste to lose registration

Stringent action will be taken against those using banned plastic bags and plastic items. The decision was taken at a high-level meeting convened by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday, July 18, to discuss ways to declutter the waste-ridden Amayizhanjan Canal in Thiruvananthapuram.

In 2022, the Centre had prohibited the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of several single-use plastic items (plastic sticks of ice cream, balloons, flags, earbuds, decorative items, spoons, forks, cups, glass, cutlery). Further, the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2022, mandate that any plastic packaging that cannot be recycled or used as alternate source of energy should be phased out.

Plastic carry bags measuring less than 75 microns were banned in September 2022, while plastic carry bags with thicknesses less than 120 microns were prohibited from December 31 that year. However, the Kerala government's decision to ban plastic bags weighing less than 60 grams per square metre was struck down by the High Court in 2023.

As part of measures to tighten action against irresponsible littering, the Chief Minister instructed officials to taken even harsher steps like cancelling the registration of vehicles from which garbage is hurled along public roads and into water bodies. Strong punitive measures will also be taken against households and establishments that dump waste on the canal.

Under the Plastic Waste Rules, the fine is not severe. It has recommended a spot fine of Rs 500 on waste generators, and for institutional waste generators, the spot fine is Rs 5000.

Since a nasty public feud had erupted between the Railways and the Corporation soon after the death of sanitation worker Joy, the meeting discussed the importance of inter-departmental coordination. Coordinating the activities of the three departments linked to the flow in the canal - Southern Railways, Thiruvananthapuram Corporation and Irrigation Department - has become crucial.

The sub-collector, under the supervision of the district collector, has been asked to ensure the coordination of the three departments.

The Railways have been asked to daily carry out scientific removal of garbage from the 130 metres of the canal that flow within its territory. The Railway Engineering wing has been asked to conduct a weekly supervision of the scientific disposal of waste generated inside trains.

The Major Irrigation Department has been asked to carry out the maintenance of the fence on either side of the Amayizhanjan canal. It is through the breaches in the fences that garbage is dumped in the canal. In large areas of its progression, the canal is left unprotected. The meeting decided to begin fencing work along 2000 metres of the canal that is now left open.

KSRTC has been asked to urgently install an effluent treatment plant and an integrated waste management system to prevent the flow of wastewater and solid waste from the Thampanoor bus stand to the Amayzhanjan canal.