Garbage treatment plants in all districts: CM

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The State Government has given the nod for installing garbage processing units based on modern technology in all the districts of the state.  Local bodies will have to provide the necessary land and  the full expenditure of installation of units will be borne by the State Government.Briefing mediapersons on the cabinet decisions here on Thursday, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said that the government had succeeded in identifying four effective models for garbage treatment.Only five acres of land was required for each plant which will have a mechanism for  segregation of plastic waste, he said.To begin with, four plants will be installed, including the upgradation of  the ones at Brahmapuram (Kochi) and Njeliyamparampu (Kozhikode), the Chief Minister said. The other two units will be in Kottayam and Thiruvananthapuram.“The Finance and Revenue ministers have promised to find suitable land in Kottayam. The location of the plant in Thiruvananthapuram has not been decided,’’he said.In Kochi and Kozhikode, a lot of high-value excess land will be there in the prime area after the installation of the modern plant. ‘’The Industries Department will utilise the excess land for investment avenues and employment generation,’’he said.The Chief Minister said that the government was following a multi-pronged approach to find a solution to the garbage problem, through promoting decentralised waste management, providing subsidies and making processing units in flats compulsory.The volume of waste flowing to the centralised units will be curtailed through such measures, he hoped.  He said that decentralised waste management has begun on a successful note in the capital city. However, asked on the delay in finding a solution to the Vilappilsala issue, the Chief Minister said that the matter will be discussed between the Corporation authorities and the government.“People cannot be blamed as they are facing hardship. However, now we have a successful model to deal with bulk waste while earlier we had none,’’ Chandy said.