Thiruvananthapuram corporation has no plans to shut garbage plant

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The city corporation has reaffirmed its stand on keeping the garbage processing factory functional at Vilappilsala. The civic body passed the resolution in the council meeting on Monday which laid down revised guidelines for the future functioning of the factory.

According to the resolution, nearly 800 tonnes of garbage that has been converted into semi-compost will be converted into final compost in the days to come. The number of employees working at the plant will be reduced from 42 to 27 and the rest of the employees will be deployed at the zonal office. Daily shift will also be reduced from three to one.

New construction activities will also be initiated which will include building a boundary wall around the plant and protection of three natural ponds within the factory premises. The agricultural garden that has been reared by the factory staff will be maintained. An agreement will be made with the Horticorp regarding the sale of the produce from the garden.

Although opposition councillors raised concerns that money spent on the Vilappilsala factory would be a waste, the ruling council stood by its decision to continue the functioning of the plant. "The council is united in its decision to maintain the garbage factory. Any move to shut down the factory will not be encouraged. We are against the conversion of garbage factory into any other enterprise with a different objective," said mayor K Chandrika.

The resolution hoped that the court will pronounce a favourable verdict one day and the garbage factory will resume its operations as in the past. "Despite court directives in the past, the state government could not open the garbage factory. We would maintain the factory till another verdict comes directing the government to open the garbage factory," said S Pushpalatha, chairperson, health standing committee.

The corporation has passed this resolution at a time when the villagers of Vilappilsala are on an indefinite satyagraha demanding the permanent closure of the garbage treatment factory. The factory was shut down owing to local protest on December 21, 2011.