Kerala minister urges new local body members to prioritise waste management

Minister for Local Self-Governments M.B. Rajesh on Tuesday urged new local body representatives in the State to give top priority to waste management, as it is critical to sustaining the progress achieved by the State in the sector.  

Speaking after inaugurating a series of initiatives of the Suchitwa Mission at Residency Tower near the Secretariat here, Mr. Rajesh said Kerala had reached a decisive stage in its efforts towards achieving a waste-free status. “The continuation of the progress made so far depends largely on the active involvement of newly elected local body representatives,” he said. 

The Minister inaugurated ’Vrithi’, a newsletter brought out by the Suchitwa Mission, the weekly radio programme ’Malinyamuktham Navakeralam’, and a disaster-time waste management protocol. He said the State government had responded to challenges in the sector, including the Brahmapuram fire incident, by strengthening institutional mechanisms and improving infrastructure.

Decentralised and centralised models 

According to Mr. Rajesh, efforts to reinforce the Haritha Karma Sena and to create basic facilities for the collection and processing of biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste have advanced significantly in recent years. He said the government aimed to strike a balance between decentralised and centralised waste management models to ensure efficiency and sustainability.  

Referring to the improvement recorded by Kerala’s cities in the 2025 Swachh Survekshan conducted by the Union government, the Minister said the results reflected the effectiveness of the State’s approach. But changes in public behaviour and attitudes towards waste segregation and disposal are required to improve further. 

Local Self-Government department Special Secretary T.V. Anupama presided over the function. Disaster Management Authority member Joy Elamon received the disaster-time waste management protocol on behalf of the authority.