Local residents around Alappuzha's only waste dump yard have joined hands for over a week to block the municipality from bringing in their truck loads of waste, about 20 tonnes a day.
Living by the backwaters of the pristine Alappuzha is no more a privilege. Kerala's pride otherwise often called the Venice of the East has mountains of garbage-untreated, strewn over the streets.
Local residents around Alappuzha's only waste dump yard have joined hands for over a week now to block the municipality from bringing in their truck loads of waste, about 20 tonnes a day. As a result, garbage now finds its way to the entrances of schools, homes and courts.
Nissa Mohammad Koya, a mother of two living near the waste dumpyard says, "We can't live here, the stink in unbearable, children are sick, water from the wells cannot be used. Relatives don't eat here if we invite them, alliances for marriage don't come here. Even if we are killed, we won't let the waste to be dumped here."
The waste being dumped in the 14 acres does not get treated in a scientific manner, as a result, over the years, even the groundwater has become contaminated and unfit for any use.
The administration is staring at a developing garbage crisis in one of India's jewels. With the monsoons ahead, the first step seems to be to break the deadlock and get residents to cooperate.
District Collector N Padmakumar claims that the system needs a complete overhaul. He says, "we are trying to segregate the waste and use micro composting methods, within 2 weeks we shall be implementing viable solutions, we are trying to break the deadlock."
Not just Alappuzha, but waste management is a challenge for authorities all over God's Own Country.