Early waste collection is corp's mantra at market

KOCHI: In a novel initiative, the corporation has started collecting waste from the Ernakulam market area early in the morning. Sanitation workers have been collecting garbage from Ernakulam market between 4am and 7am from the first week of September.
"Ernakulam market area is one of the most crowded places in the city. Huge quantity of vegetable and other wastes get accumulated here at the end of each day.It was very difficult for the sanitation workers to clear the waste during daytime due to the heavy rush. The revised timing has been successful, so far," said chairperson of health standing committee VK Minimol.
Till September first week, authorities had been collecting waste from 7am to 1pm. It was difficult for them to collect, load and then transport the same from the market to Brahmapuram waste treatment plant during busy business hours. Around 15 tonnes of bio-waste and six tonnes of non-degradable waste is collected from the area each day. Nearly 85% of the waste is generated from within the market area itself.
"Vegetable vendors from distant places usually visit the market in the morning and corporation's waste pickup autorickshaws used to block the narrow roads, thus adversely affecting our business. It is good that they have now changed the timing," said Moideenkutty, a vegetable vendor.
The initiative has brought benefits to authorities also. They could reduce the time taken for transporting waste. "Normally, it takes hours to transport waste to Brahmapuram as it is difficult to cross the city limits during peak hours. Now, since the waste is transported before the office crowd arrives, the service is faster and fuel expenses have come down," said a garbage truck driver.
Corporation employs nearly 65 sanitation workers for waste management at Market circle every day and spends Rs 23 lakhs to employ officers, workers and vehicles. "A minimum 30 workers are cooperating with us after we revised the timings due to which we could manage the Onam rush. Remaining workers are deployed to collect waste from other parts of the circle," Minimol added.
Ernakulam market circle covers areas from Mullassery market canal to MG Road west end, Old Railway Station Road, High Court Road leading to CMFRI, Marine Drive, market, west side of Yatra auditorium and St Teresa's College.