Join hands to make AZHAK work, says Chief Minister

Hygiene protocol of Kozhikode Corporation launched

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan called upon every citizen of the State to work together to make Kerala a better place to live in.

Launching AZHAK (A mass initiative for Zero waste uplifting Happiness index and Attitudinal change in waste management at Kozhikode), the hygiene protocol of the Kozhikode Corporation, here on Saturday, he said “the beauty of our land was the responsibility of every citizen, and that it cannot be achieved unless everyone puts in an effort.”

Listing the various programmes of the State government to encourage proper waste management and general hygiene, the Chief Minister said proper planning and implementation, besides creating awareness, was key to the success of such programmes and hailed AZHAK as a step in the right direction. “We envisage a Kerala where people don’t just throw away waste, a Kerala where all slaughter waste is effectively disposed of,” he said, highlighting projects such as Take a Break and grading system for local bodies based on hygiene.

The Chief Minister particularly mentioned the need to dispose of liquid waste effectively and the importance of sewage treatment plants that treated polluted water so that it could be used again. He lauded efforts made by the Haritha Keralam Mission to clean up water resources.

The Chief Minister called upon the public to follow the hygiene protocol, as it touches every aspect of human life.

Earlier, Mayor Beena Philip said AZHAK was “a rocket being launched expecting that it will reach its destination in three years.” Deputy Mayor C.P. Musafir Ahamed highlighted the need to nurture social hygiene, even though the people of Kerala are known for their exemplary personal hygiene culture. “We are targeting a population of 6 lakh, and the corporation cannot single-handedly implement AZHAK without the wholehearted participation of all,” he said. Corporation Secretary K.U. Bini presented the project report.

Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas, A.K. Saseendran, and Ahamed Devarkovil, M.K. Raghavan, MP, Thottathil Raveendran, MLA, District Collector N. Tej Lohit Reddy, and leaders of various political parties were present on the occasion.