KOCHI: If all goes well, Kochiites will soon be able to savour quality-rich organic vegetables. ‘Zero Waste and Safe-to-Eat Vegetables’, a major project by the district administration in association with District Agri- Horticultural Society and the Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council (VFPCK), will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on May 7.

SHILLONG: Open dumping and throwing of garbage is a common sight in Shillong city and there are fears garbage has become so overwhelming that there might even be an outbreak of serious diseases.

Environmental concerns has brought at least 19 NGOs on a common platform to begin with cleaning up the Umkhrah and Umshyrpi rivers before launching on an all out cleaning drives of the city.

Finance Minister K.M. Mani has proposed a two pronged approach to address the state’s worsening waste management crisis with an allocation of Rs 100 crore each for source level waste treatment plants and centralised high tech waste management plants in the state annual budget for 2012-13.

It has been proposed to construct large scale technology oriented waste processing plants in PPP model in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Kottayam and Kozhikode districts with an allocation of Rs 100 crores.

Study To Be Commissioned Ahead Of Upcoming UNCRD Conference

Ahmnedabad: After carrying out an intensive drive for efficient garbage disposal, city’s civic bosses are now working on a project for a waste-free Ahmedabad. The project for preparing a roadmap for this purpose will be commissioned by the United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD). This is for the first time that a UN body has been willing to encourage the emerging agenda for a garbage-free city in Gujarat.

A HISTORY OF POLLUTION?
Threaten To Leave If Expansion Ban Is Not Revoked

Bharuch:Industrialists and officials of the Ankleshwar Industrial Association say the industrial belt is still listed among the critical zones despite the fact that the pollution level here has reduced to a large extent. If the ban on expansion is not revoked, industries here would have to leave the Ankleshwar industrial estate, they say.

The government is working towards achieving zero waste stage in residential habitats in urban and rural areas.

The Cabinet decision on Friday to provide subsidy to residential flats to set up waste treatment units is part of the strategy. However, waste treatment would become obligatory by law or guidelines in future.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Vilappilsala waste treatment plant will be closed down and a zero waste management project will be implemented to deal with wastes generated in the Corporation limits, said Chief Minister Oommen Chandy here on Wednesday. “But the location of the new facility is yet to be decided. Reports stating that the unit would be located at Bonakkad is not correct, as it is only one of the sites under consideration of the government,’’ he told reporters at the Cabinet briefing.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Vilappilsala waste treatment plant will be closed down and a zero waste management project will be implemented to deal with wastes generated in the Corporation limits, said Chief Minister Oommen Chandy here on Wednesday.

“But the location of the new facility is yet to be decided. Reports stating that the unit would be located at Bonakkad is not correct, as it is only one of the sites under consideration of the government,’’ he told reporters at the Cabinet briefing.

Carry bags to cost up to Rs.10; paper and cloth bags manufactured by self-help groups to be made available

The City Corporation is planning to increase the price of plastic carry bags to discourage their sale and use in the city. Mayor K. Chandrika said here on Sunday that depending on their thickness, plastic bags would cost up to Rs.10 at retail shops.

Chennai The Tamil Nadu government announced on Friday a R127.40-crore interest-free loan to 15 common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) situated at Tirupur to enable 700-odd dyeing units to attain zero liquid discharge (ZLD). The dyeing units were forced to shut down by the Madras High Court in January owing to non-compliance of its earlier order in attaining ZLD.