MINUTES OF THE FIFTH MEETING OF THE DISTRICT LEVELMONITORING COMMITTEE (DLMC) OF DISTRICT HELD ON 25-11-2020 via GOOGLE MEET

DLMC/PLKD/MNTS-5/2020

Present:

1. Sri. D. Balamurali IAS, District Collector,Palakkad 2. Sri. Vibhooshanan P .A, Deputy Collector (LR), Palakkad 3. Office of RDO, Convener, DLMC, Palakkad, 4. Sri. Krishnan M. N, Environmental Engineer, State PollutionControl Board,Palakkad

5. Dr. K Remadevi, Superintendent, District Hospital, Palakkad 6. District Police Office, Palakkad, 7. Office of Sub-Collector, , Palakkad, District Medical Officer(Health), Palakkad, 8. District Homeopathic Medical Office, Palakkad, 9. District Medical Officer(Indian System of Medicine), Palakkad, 10. Deputy Director of Panchayat, Palakkad, 11. Secretary, District Legal Service Authority, Palakkad, 12. District Coordinator, Suchitwa Mission, Palakkad, 13. Sri. Y. Kalyanakrishnan, District Cordinator, HarithaKeralam Mission 14. Executive Engineer, Minor Irrigation, Palakkad, 15. Executive Engineer, LSGD, District Panchayat Building, Palakkad, 16. District Officer, Animal Husbandry Department, Palakkad, 17. Deputy Director of Fisheries Department, Palakkad, 18. Superintendent, Women & Children Hospital, Palakkad, [email protected] 19. Secretary, Muncipality, Mannarkkad, Palakkad – 678582, 20. Secretary, Chittur-Tathamangalam Muncipality, Chittur, Palakkad – 678101, 21. Secretary, Shornur Muncipality, Shornur, Palakkad – 679121, 22. Secretary, Ottapalam Muncipality, Ottapalam, Palakkad – 679101, 23. Secretary, Muncipality, Cherpulassery, Palakkad – 679503, 24. Secretary, Muncipality, Pattambi, Palakkad – 679303, 25. Secretary, Palakkad Muncipality, Palakkad – 678001, 26. Secretary, Grama Panchayat, 27. Secretary, Sreekrishnapuram Grama Panchayat, 28. Secretary, Grama Panchayat, 29. Secretary, Pudur Grama Panchayat, 30. Nandan P V, Project Director, Waste to Energy Projects, KSIDC 31. Sanchu V, District Manager, Clean Kerala Company, Palakkad

The 5th meeting of the District Level Monitoring Committee (DLMC) was started at 10.30 am via Google Meet application. The meeting was chaired by Sri D. Balamurali, District Collector, Palakkad. Sri Krishnan M.N, Environmental Engineer, Kerala State Pollution Control Board, Palakkad welcomed all the members of the DLMC and other participants and started the discussion on the agenda points.

Sri D. Balamurali, District Collector, Palakkad

Before starting discussion on the agenda of the meeting it is reiterated that should be specific targets fixed in each meeting and these targets should be reviewed in the upcoming DLMC meetings.

Sri Krishnan M.N, Environmental Engineer, Kerala State Pollution Control Board, Palakkad

The Environmental Engineer (EE) started review of the follow up on resolutions passed in the 4th meeting of DLMC dated 24.02.2020 one by one. Progress of implementation of Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 in each local body.

Door to Door collection.

Sri. Y. Kalyanakrishnan, District Cordinator, HarithaKeralam Mission

Data of door to door collection of Solid waste by LSGD in is as follows : 18 GramaPanchayats have achieved less than 30% Door to Door collection. 19 GramaPanchayats have achieved 31-40% Door to Door collection. 26 GramaPanchayats have achieved 41-50% Door to Door collection. 7 GramaPanchayats have achieved more than 51% Door to Door collection. 7 Muncipalities have achieved more than 51 % Door to Door Collection

Out of 88 Panchayats, 70 Panchayats have implemented Door to Door collection of solid waste. There are 18 Panchayats in the District where proper Door to Door collection of Solid Waste is not being carried out. (List Attached) Details of door to door collection of solid waste in Palakkad District with respect to residences and commercial establishments is as follows.

48% door to door collection of solid waste is achieved in residences which comes under Grama Panchayat. 69% door to door collection of solid waste is achieved in residences which comes under Municipality. 36% door to door collection of solid waste is achieved in commercial establishments which comes under Grama Panchayat. 81% door to door collection of solid waste is achieved in commercial establishments which comes under Municipality.

Sri Krishnan M.N, Environmental Engineer, Kerala State Pollution Control Board, Palakkad The decision of state level meetings regarding the environmental law implementation is that there are no excuses or relaxation to be given to the local bodies in achieving and maintaining 100% door to door collection of Solid Waste. It was reported that all seven municipalities have achieved more than 51% door to door collection of Solid Waste. Certain Grama Panchayats lag behind in achieving door to door collection and requested DDP(Deputy Director of Panchayats) to comment on this.

Junior Superintendent, DDP Out of 88 panchayats, total of 61MCF is operational. Out of 1498 wards , 1078 wards are covered partially or fully.in Door to Door collection of Solid Waste .

Sri D. Balamurali, District Collector, Palakkad Asked to explain the reason for poor implementation. Enquired about the issues faced by the local bodies in implementing door to door collection in all wards.

Junior Superintendent, DDP Due to outbreak of COVID-19 there has been marginable reduction in functioning of Haritha Karma Sena(HKS) for Door to Door waste collection. Out of 88 panchayats only 70 panchayats has supplied safety measures like gloves, face mask for the Haritha Karma Sena workers.

Sri D. Balamurali, District Collector, Palakkad Instructed DDP to submit the list of panchayats who is not providing safety equipment for the HKS workers for reporting to Principal Secretary,LSGD for initiating action against those panchayat secretaries. Asked Pollution Control Board whether any notices issued against Secretaries of Municipality/Panchayat for violation under Environmental Laws.

Sri Krishnan M.N, Environmental Engineer, Kerala State Pollution Control Board, Palakkad Reported that in light of NGT orders it is more convenient to issue notice for environmental compensation against the Offenders under environmental law.

Sri. Y. Kalyanakrishnan, District Cordinator, HarithaKeralam Mission ,Kuzhalmannam,,Puthucode,,,Lakkidi, Perur, ,Thiruvegapura,,,,Thenkara, are the Grama Panchayats which have failed to implement Door to Door collection of solid waste, forming Haritha Karma Sena or providing safety measures for HKS.

Sri Krishnan M.N, Environmental Engineer, Kerala State Pollution Control Board, Palakkad.

Stated that notice will be issued to Secretaries of these Grama Panchayats asking to report the percentage of implementation with respect to D2D, MCF and PPE Kits and, if unsatisfactory, Environmental Compensation will be imposed for non – compliance of Rules in light of NGT Orders.

Secretary, CherpulasseryMuncipality

In the case of Door to Door collection of solid waste the municipality is finding it difficulty to give wages for HKS because user fee is not paid properly. Users (residents) claim that they couldn’t pay due to COVID caused financial constraints.

Sri D. Balamurali, District Collector, Palakkad

Instructed that being a legislative body Municipality can create by law or amend bylaw to ensure that people are falling in line of environmental laws. Tax collection in the state is back to normal and fact is that GST Collection for last two months is comparable with last year’s GST Collection , hence these excuses from public that they have financial constraints even now due to COVID-19 pandemic is not acceptable. Door to Door collection is LSGD’s fundamental and sovereign duty hence it has to be done.

Dr. K Remadevi, Superintendent, District Hospital,Palakkad Stated that general segregated solid waste and plastic waste of District Hospital is not t collected by the Palakkad municipality periodically. District Hospital was recently forced to pay an authorised private agency to collect the segregated solid waste, which was piled up due to delay in collection from Palakkad municipality.

Health Supervisor,Palakkad Municipality

Stated the earlier, once, Biomedical Waste was found mixed with the general waste collected from the District Hospital(DH) and issue arose in the RRF of Palakkad municipality which is situated in KodumbuPanchayat and there was strong opinion from KodumbuPanchayat that the waste from District Hospital should not be brought to the RRF. Due to this reason, that temporarily waste from DH is not collected. Sri D. Balamurali, District Collector, Palakkad

Instructed that since the Palakkad Municipality is not having sufficient resources to collect wastes from Palakkad municipal area itself and is struggling to manage the waste, proper segregation should be ensured by District Hospital. Mixing any biomedical waste in solid waste cannot be accepted at all. Collection of segregated solid waste alone from DH by Municipality should be reinstated at the earliest.

2(ii) Management of wet waste.

Sri Krishnan M.N, Environmental Engineer, Kerala State Pollution Control Board, Palakkad.

Based on the primary information available for the Pollution Control Board it is known that the wet waste generated is not collected by the LSGDs and it is managed at the source itself. For generators (residences , commercial establishments) which don’t have sufficient and space to manage wet waste generated, it is the responsibility of concerned local body to collect the wet waste from the source as part of their sovereign duty.

Sri D. Balamurali, District Collector, Palakkad

Asked which all municipalities have presently submitted project to manage wet waste. Also asked there is any data available in Pollution Control Board(PCB).

Sri. Krishnan M.N, Environmental Engineer, Kerala State Pollution Control Board, Palakkad.

The old four municipalities of the district ie (Palakkad,Chittur- Tathamangalam,Ottapalam,Shornur) have facilities to manage/ process wet waste. Municipalities which were formed in recent years ie Cherpulassery, Mannarkkad and Pattambi are not having centralized wet waste processing facilities, as per available records.

Sri. Abdul Nazar C. K, Health Inspector I, PattambiMunicipality

Submitted that from 01.11.2020 onwards collection of wet waste is started in the municipality with the help of HKS. As part of first phase, wet waste from 60 commercial establishments from two wards of the municipality is being collected. About 1.5 tons of wet waste is collected daily. Plant capacity is 3 tons /day and method used for composting is windrow composting.

Sri. D. Balamurali, District Collector, Palakkad

Asked to conduct a scientific study of wet waste generation in Pattambi municipality and plant capacity needed for the management of wet waste and submit the study report to PCB. PCB should verify that whether the report is feasible and give proper guidelines.

Sri. Y. Kalyanakrishnan, District Coordinator, HarithaKeralamMission(HKM)

As per the records available with HKM, details of wet waste management in the Palakkad District is as follows

Sl Name of the LSGD Method of composting Quantity of No Organic Fertilizer produced in tonnes/year

1 Palakkad Municipality Windrow Composting 460.8

2 Chittur-Tathamangalam Windrow Composting 36 Municipality

3 Ottapalam Municipality Windrow Composting 144

4 PuduppariyaramGramaPanchayat Windrow Composting 58

5 KoduvayurGramaPanchayat Worm Composting 36

6 AlathurGramaPanchayat Windrow Composting 230 7 AkathetharaGramaPanchayat Windrow Composting+ 18 Tumburmuzhi

8 SreekrishnapuramGramaPanchayat Tumburmuzhi 1.4

9 Shornur Municipality Tumburmuzhi 1.26

10 KongadGramaPanchayat Windrow Composting 36

When MCF of certain local bodies were visited by HKM, it was found that the solid waste management is not proper and all types of waste is been dumped altogether.

Secretary, CherpulasseryMuncipality

Presently facility for collecting and processing of wet waste is not there in the Municipaliy. Land is required for the processing of wet waste.

Sri D. Balamurali, District Collector, Palakkad

Asked to identify land under state government for the management of waste processing plant. For performing their sovereign duty local bodies can get state govt lands free of cost. Cherpulassery municipality must conduct study about the waste generation in the municipality and submit proposal for land requirement to the state govt with scientific studies. Before next DLMC meeting Cherpulassery Municipality should present the progress of following :

1. Report of study conducted for the waste processing plant.(amount waste generated, facilities needed for waste processing plant ,plant capacity needed).

2. Location identified for the waste processing plant.

3. Progress of land acquisition.

Health Inspector, MannarkkadMuncipality

Submitted that only dry solid waste is collected in the municipality. Wet waste is not collected. Land limitations are there for waste processing plant.

Sri D. Balamurali, District Collector, Palakkad

Similar to Cherpulassery Municipality, Mannarkkad Municipality must also conduct study about the waste generation in the municipality and submit proposal for land requirement to the state govt with scientific studies. And if there is non availability of state govt land nearby the municipality then find private lands and submit the proposal.

Health Inspector, Mannarkkad Muncipality

About five locations were identified for the waste processing plant and proposal was submitted to the concerned department but due to issues in the valuation process , buying of land could not be completed. He submitted that, the progress of the report of study conducted for the waste processing plant.(amount waste generated, facilities needed for waste processing plant ,plant capacity needed) and status of land acquisition will be presented in the next DLMC meeting.

Sri D. Balamurali, District Collector, Palakkad

Before next DLMC meeting all seven municipality should report to the committee that what is the gap in implementing of Solid Waste Management Rules and proposal to should overcome this gap should prepare new proposals and projects, action plans for progressive and full compliance of Solid Waste Management, Rules and report in next meeting.

2.(iv) .Management of hazardous and biomedical waste in households.

Sri Krishnan M.N, Environmental Engineer, Kerala State Pollution Control Board, Palakkad.

Presented, for consideration of DLMC, about a problem. Bio medical wastes(BMW) is generated in house holds from dialysis patients, diabetes patients, etc. Houses don’t have any provision to dispose this BMW scientifically at source. District Office, PCB Palakkad has received a grievance from resident who is a dialysis patient finding difficulties to dispose BMW waste generated. Concerned local body is not collecting BMW. Suggested that the BMW generated in households can be disposed through nearest Govt. Primary Health centers which are affiliated to IMAGE(BMW disposal facility).

Sri D. Balamurali, District Collector, Palakkad

Local bodies has to take initial responsibility to collect BMW in MCFs in all panchayats and then transfer the waste to IMAGE. DDP Palakkad, Health Departments and Cherpulassery municipality can together conduct a meeting on the aspects of the issue and hence prepare a guideline for proper treatment of such waste.

2.(v).Collection of solid waste from auditoriums and hospitals – use of incinerators not complying with Rules.

Sri Krishnan M.N, Environmental Engineer, Kerala State Pollution Control Board, Palakkad

Stated that incinerators used for treatment of solid wastes in auditoriums and hospitals are not complying with the Rules. So local bodies has to collect the dry waste (both recyclable and non- recyclable) through Haritha Karma Sena (HKS) and make arrangements to handover these to Clean Kerala Company (CKC) for further treatment. At the same time, most of the local bodies is having grievance that rejected wastes collected in their respective MCFs are not collected by CKC in a time bound manner.

Sanchu V, District Manager, Clean Kerala Company, Palakkad

Proper segregation is to be done while collecting hazardous and other wastes, so that Clean Kerala company accepts these waste. Therefore people collecting these wastes should be given proper training on this. As per the reports with HKM, in Palakkad District 2093 number E- waste is to be collected from Sales Tax Office, Palakkad and 2 tons of rejected waste of Ottapalam municipality will be collected soon.

Sri D. Balamurali, District Collector, Palakkad

Asked whether CKC have any data about the quantity of waste that can be processed/collected from Palakkad District per month. Pollution Control Board, DDP and CKC should discuss and make proper assessment of how much rejected wastes and other wastes like e-waste,CFL wastes that can be collected by CKC from LSGDs of the District per month and come up with alternate solution if the demand is more and collection of waste is limited.

Sanchu V, District Manager, Clean Kerala Company, Palakkad

Reported that Only one warehouse of 4000sqft under CKC is available in the Palakkad District. All dispatches are carried out through this single warehouse itself. Hence there are capacity issues regarding the collection of wastes from LSGDs.

Sri. Y. Kalyanakrishnan, District Coordinator, HarithaKeralamMission(HKM)

Submitted that during COVID pandemic, 493 tonnes of plastic and rejected waste has been cleared from various MCFs in Palakkad municipality by Clean Kerala Company. Still there is 106 tonnes of non – biodegradable wastes left uncleared in MCFs. Suggested that DDP can take initiative in gathering data on these solid wastes that is left uncleared in various MCFs in Panchayats and find a suitable solution on these dumped wastes. There is Central Government orders on allocation of specified months for collection of various wastes like E-waste, medical waste, glass waste etc. through Haritha Karma Sena.If LSGD secretaries could work according to this, problems related to non-biodegradable wastes can be solved to an extent. Pollution Control Board can help local bodies in giving guidelines on collection of medical wastes and specification of incinerators on better treatment of solid wastes.

3. Rendering plants and other Authorised facilities for chicken-waste – licensing of chicken stalls.

Sri Krishnan M.N, Environmental Engineer, Kerala State Pollution Control Board, Palakkad Another issue regarding solid waste is the illegal dumping of slaughter waste at various places in the district. Few private entrepreneurs have come forward with the idea of rendering plants where slaughter waste is treated through scientific process. Already there exists two rendering plants in Palakkad district. It is suggested that by next DLMC meeting local body authoritiescan collect details on existing rendering plants all around the district and take further decisions on connecting the slaughter houses in their panchayat/municipality with nearby rendering plants. A detailed discussion may be conducted in the next DLMC meeting regarding the licensing of chicken stalls and creating bylaws for chicken stalls regarding the chicken waste handovering, in the presence of District Collector .

Sri. Y. Kalyanakrishnan, District Coordinator, HarithaKeralamMission(HKM)

Reported that there are 176 hotspots in Palakkad district where solid waste especially slaughter wastes are dumped. District Planning Committee (DPC) can make a detailed plan on connecting slaughter houses around the district with rendering plant with the support of bylaws.

Secretary, Shornur Muncipality, Shornur, Palakkad

Stated that chicken wastes from chicken stall are collected by pig farm and fish farms at a rate of Rs.6 or 7 per kg, while chicken waste rendering plants are collecting chicken waste at a rate of Rs.10 per kg. Hence chicken stall occupier has to pay more. Obviously considering the economic feasibility chicken stall occupier choose pig farm/fish farms. This issue is to be regularized.

4.Use of chicken–waste for aqua-culture or fish-ponds – need for policy. A detailed meeting on this issue in the presence of District Collector is needed. Fisheries Department, DDP and PCB shall initiate.

5. Authorisation under relevant Rules from Pollution Control Board for all health- care facilities – Orders of National Green Tribunal.

Sri Krishnan M.N, Environmental Engineer, Kerala State Pollution Control Board, Palakkad Informed that as per the orders of National Green Tribunal every health centres in the district say Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Veterinary, Primary Health Centres, Family Health Centres and other health centres have to acquire authorization or consent from Pollution Control Board by 31st December 2020. Altogether there are about 400 health instituitions in the district.

District Homeopathic Medical Office, Palakkad Reported that there are 28 non-government dispensaries, 52 government dispensaries and 1 district hospital in the district under homeo department, in which 23 dispensaries have applied for consent from Pollution Control Board. Remaining dispensaries are expected to complete their application by 31.12.2020.

District Officer, Animal Husbandry Department, Palakkad,

Reported that Among the 99 veterinary clinics in the district, 21 clinics have applied for consent from Pollution Control Board. Remaining dispensaries are expected to complete their application by 31.12.2020.

6.Solid waste management and Sewage Treatment in District Hospital and Women & Children Hospital

Dr. K Remadevi, Superintendent, District Hospital,Palakkad

The construction of Sewage Treatment Plant at District Hospital, Palakkad is at preliminary stage. Site investigation has been done by the Municipality engineers. Application for consent to operate of hospital from Pollution Control Board is under process.

7. Implementation of ban on one-time use plastic – writ petition before High Court

Sri Krishnan M.N, Environmental Engineer, Kerala State Pollution Control Board, Palakkad In response to government order on ban of one-time use plastics, Municipal secretaries, Pollution Control Board and Sub-Collector Ottapalam had effectively conducted raids and imposed fine for violators. But during COVID pandemic, authorities couldn’t conduct inspections. Now, The District Collector and Pollution Control Board are respondents in a writ petition before High Court on progress of implementation of ban on one-time use plastics. Hence Secretary, Environment Department has instructed to continue the inspection and impose fine on establishments violating the ban.

Sri. Y. Kalyanakrishnan, District Coordinator, HarithaKeralamMission(HKM) As per records, as part of implementation of ban on one-time use plastic a total 1147 cases were imposed fine in the district by different departments till this date. Total amount collected as fine is Rs.1,57,990/-. For 35 cases legal proceedings were initiated. Dr. K Remadevi, Superintendent, District Hospital,Palakkad

Complained that the restaurants and hotels supplying food to the patients in District Hospital are using banned plastics for packaging. Concerned authorities are requested to take this into notice and take necessary actions.

Unauthorized dumping and collection of penalty

District Police Office, Palakkad

Reported that the police department has registered 11 cases in the district for illegal dumping of waste.

Sri. Y. Kalyanakrishnan, District Coordinator, HarithaKeralamMission(HKM)

Septage wastes are being dumped in the banks of Bharathapuzha River in Panchayat. When this site was inspected, there were thousands of beer bottles littered on the banks. Concerned authorities are requested to take this into notice and take necessary actions.

Sri Krishnan M.N, Environmental Engineer, Kerala State Pollution Control Board, Palakkad

Requested that, in the light of this DLMC meeting minutes, it will be more effective that if Superintendent of Police shall may give instructions to concerned Station House Officers to take necessary action to prevent illegal dumping of wastes in these hotspots.

Progress of Waste-to-Energy plant in the district (KSIDC).

Nandan P V, Project Director, Waste to Energy Projects, KSIDC In June 2018 seven districts were allotted for Waste to Energy(WTE) Plants including Palakkad District also with KSIDC as the nodal agency. 11 acres of Land is allocated in Kanjikode,Pudussery Panchayat for WTE Plant. Tender for the plant was published for the second time in June 2019 since no tender was received in first tendering. Tender of a Bombay based consortium was accepted and work order was issued in December 2019. Agreement between KSIDC,nodal agency and the consortium is signed in August 2020 to complete the WTE Palakkad Plant within 24 months from the commencement of construction. The constructions will be started once all clearances from the concerned departments are obtained. WTE plant construction is expected to start from January 2021 as per present schedule.

Sri Krishnan M.N, KSPCB, Palakkad thanked all the participants. The meeting concluded at 01:00 PM.

03.12.2020 District Collector

By Order

Environmental Engineer, Kerala State Pollution Control Board