Aafrin Kidwai 
Household waste collection in Thiruvananthapuram has stopped as material recovery facilities in 550 panchayats have reached full capacity. The New Indian Express reports that around 4 to 5 tonnes of dry waste are accumulated in each panchayat, with a travel ban leading to this crisis
With all material recovery facilities (MRFs) set up at 550 local bodies, including panchayats, municipalities and corporations, reaching their full capacity, the Local Self Government Department is looking for ways to move and dispose of nearly 6,000 tonnes of accumulated dry waste at these facilities amid the Covid-19 lockdown. An official said that nearly 6,000 tonnes of dry waste needs to be carted away from the material recovery facilities across the state to enable the local bodies to resume collection of household waste after the lockdown.
In view of the lockdown, the government had urged citizens to keep inorganic waste at their homes which would be collected once the lockdown is lifted.
Picture Credit: Syed Shiyaz Mirza, Kerala Government Secretariat, CC BY-SA 4.0
