Premonsoon cleanup to be done by May 20

The Local SelfGovernment department has directed local bodies to begin premonsoon cleaning activities with early planning. Municipalities and grama panchayats can spend a maximum of ₹30,000 per ward, while corporations can spend ₹40,000 per ward for cleaning activities. The funds for these will be utilised from the Suchitwa Mission’s allocation, the local body’s own funds, and the National Health Mission allocation.

For areas which have been identified as hotspots for spread of vectorborne diseases in the past two years, the local body can spend an additional amount of up to ₹10,000 with approval from the council. The premonsoon cleanup activities which will begin in the last week of March has to be completed by May 20. Local bodies have been asked to ensure 100% doorstep collection of waste, clearing up of drains and identification of areas of possible waterlogging. Mosquito source destruction activities will have to be carried out in institutions and in houses. Waterbodies and canals in which waste has accumulated have to be cleaned over the next two months. Services of Kudumbashree volunteers, ASHA workers, Haritha Karma Sena workers, residents welfare association members, National Service Scheme volunteers and youth clubs can be used for cleanup as well as awareness campaigns. The various departments and missions, including the Haritha Keralam Mission, Suchitwa Mission and the Clean Kerala Company will coordinate the cleanup activities.

List of waste dumps

The wardlevel sanitation committees will have to prepare a list of waste dumps, areas prone to waterlogging and areas which are known to have prevalence of vectorborne diseases and submit it to the local body secretary before March 30. The health workers will have to identify houses and institutions which do not have any waste treatment facility and submit the list to the secretary. The secretary has to monitor the progress of the premonsoon cleanup activities once every two days.

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