Plans are afoot to set up twin facilities for the scientific treatment and disposal of biomedical waste in the city.

Despite being a hub of health care facilities (HCFs) generating increasingly large quantities of biomedical waste, Kochi does not have a dedicated treatment and disposal facility. The city now depends on the one run by IMAGE (Indian Medical Association Goes Eco-friendly) at Palakkad.
At present, the Common Biomedical Waste Treatment and Disposal Facility set up by the Kerala chapter of IMA in 2003 handles the biomedical waste generated by its member HCFs across the State.

The bio-chemical toilets installed on the public-sector boats in Ernakulam last month is yet to be opened for public.

The supreme court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) started inspecting the wood-based industries including plywood factories and neighbouring localities in Kuttipadam division in Vengola panchayat on Wednesday. The different stakeholders in the industry are considering the visit of the high power committee as a very “significant step”.

The committee is headed by P V Jayakrishnan, the chairman of the CEC and other members include Mahendhra Vyas and M K Muthoo. The committee is assisted by important government officials in the district including RDO, Moovatupuzha, District Medical Officer, Malayatoor DFO, Deputy Director, Panchayat and chief environmental engineer, regional office, Pollution Control Board, Ernakulam.

Kochiites run short of green shade as Sun spews fire

More than 1,400 trees on public land in Ernakulam have been chopped down over the last one year. But the actual loss would be double the figure because the Social Forestry wing of the Forest Department has data only for tree-felling requests officially submitted as per a government order on February 10, 2010.

A solution to the vexed problem of solid waste management in the city seems distant as the government continues to be in the dark on the technology to be adopted at the proposed new plant in Brahmapuram.

Efforts to initiate a waste-to-energy plant based on incineration method have backfired after the three companies that submitted the final bids informed that only 14 units of power could be generated from one tonne of waste.

Understanding the immediate need to address the issue of decreasing ground water levels in parts of the district, the Ground Water Department is taking active steps to spread awareness about ground water conservation.

The ground water resource estimation committee report prepared by the Ministry of Water Resources jointly by the Centre and state government has identified Paravur, Parakkadavu and Vyttila, which includes Maradu and Kumbalam blocks, as semi critical areas in terms of fall in ground water levels in Ernakulam district.

Kochi: The pollution in the industrial belt of Eloor-Edayar is impacting on its population with four major non-communicable diseases claiming as many as 110 deaths in Kadungallur grama panchayat in just 10 months up to October 2012.

The Pathalam bund in Periyar is located in Kadungallur and 85 chemical industries are also situated above the bund. The KWA Muppathadam pump house in the Periyar which supplies drinking water to one lakh popupation in Alangad, Karumaloor and Kadungallur panchayats, is also situated in Kadungallur panchayat.

Flat Dwellers Left High and Dry As Tankers Set To Go On Strike Today

Kochi: With the proposed tanker strike from Tuesday set to worsen the already irregular water supply in the city and nearby areas, apartments are all set to introduce rationing to reduce consumption. The Ernakulam district drinking water transporters welfare association had called the strike in protest against the decision of Thiruvanniyur and Chottanikkara grama panchayats not to allow tankers to collect water from areas like Thiruvanniyur, Kunnappilly, Vandipetta, Asupathripadi, Kureekkad and Pallath.

Kochi: The wait of the public for quality food and hygiene in restaurants and eateries will continue with the deadline for registering them under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 extended by a year.

Following a request from the state government, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has extended the last date of registration to February 4, 2014. The deadline set for the same had expired on February 4. The authority had given a six-month transitory period for the act to come into force from the earlier Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, which expired in August 2012.

As summer sets in the next few weeks and many districts are staring at a severe drought, the slogan for World Wetlands Day this year -- Wetlands take care of water -- is a portent for the future.