Garbage dump sites in Kerala to be turned into parks by end of 2023

In a move to make Kerala more cleaner and greener, the Left administration is planning to convert around 3,000 garbage dump sites across the state into 'Sneharamam' parks, the government said on Wednesday.

The government's Higher Education Department will tie up with the National Service Scheme (NSS) to carry out the ambitious plan, the Kerala Solid Waste Management Project (KSWMP) said in a release.

It is a three-month project conceived under the 'Malinya Muktham Nava Keralam' (garbage free new Kerala) campaign and would commence from October 2 on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, the release said.

As part of the project, first such garbage dump sites would be located through reports from local self-government institutions (LSGIs) or the portal of KSWMP and after getting the go-ahead from the LSGIs to clean up such plots, the work will be carried out by local units of the NSS, it said.

Suchitwa Mission, the Technical Support Group (TSG) in the waste management sector under the Local Self Government Department, will provide Rs 5,000 for the setting-up of each unit of 'Sneharamam', it said and added that Rs 1.5 crore has been earmarked for the project.

"The money will be disbursed to NSS through LSGIs on completion of each unit. Additional funds, if necessary, can be sourced locally, including through sponsors."

"LSGIs, along with local NSS units, will locate those dumpsites which can be developed into Sneharamams," the release said.

Besides raising green strips, parks or gardens after cleaning the garbage dump sites, NSS volunteers also have the freedom to show their artistic creativity by making installations from local waste, it said.

The entire project is slated to conclude by December 31, following which the Sneharamams will be dedicated on the New Year Day of 2024, it said.

The subsequent maintenance of the parks or green strips would be carried out by the NSS, it added.

The project modalities would be worked out this week in a meeting of civic body representatives, NSS programme officers, unit secretaries and officials of Malinya Muktham Nava Keralam, the release said.