Kozhikode Corpn. directed to address grievances of Njeliyanparamba residents

Rights panel order following visit to waste treatment plant

A recent fire at the waste treatment plant at Njeliyanparamba has brought the waste management issues in Kozhikode city to the notice of the Kerala State Human Rights Commission. Judicial member of the Commission K. Baijunath, who visited the plant on Monday, has asked the Kozhikode Municipal Corporation Secretary to submit a report within 10 days on steps that could be taken to alleviate the problems faced by local people due to the plant. Former councillor Mohammed Shameel, who had filed a complaint with the Commission, pointed out that the fire had caused much discomfort for local people. Besides, residents complained of the pollution of water in their wells and the stink generated from the plant. The Commission asked the Kozhikode Corporation to take the issues seriously. A major direction was to repair the shed where waste is collected, to prevent rainwater from entering it. The Commission noted that water combined with waste could lead to health issues for residents. The Commission also asked the Corporation to ensure that waste water from the plant did not go out of the plot.