For the first time in Kerala, a legislative constituency is taking on the challenge of becoming a completely waste-free constituency. Through the initiative “Alappuzha – Sampoorna Suchitwa Mandalam (Total Sanitation Constituency),” the aim is to make all panchayats and the municipality areas within the constituency free from waste.
The official launch of the campaign began with a workshop held on June 2 at the Aryad Community Hall. The Alappuzha constituency consists of 107 wards, covering four panchayats Mararikkulam North, Mararikkulam South, Aryad, and Mannanchery along with half of Alappuzha Municipality.
The first step is to gain a clear picture of the existing waste management practices. This includes identifying how much waste is being generated, the share of biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste, and how many households and institutions are managing waste scientifically versus those who are not. Data collection will be carried out under the leadership of sanitation volunteers in each panchayat, with a geo-tagged survey of households, businesses, and identified dumping sites.
The Living Lab Alleppey is playing a key role in shaping this process bringing together data driven insights, citizen participation, and practical waste management solutions to guide the constituency towards sustainable sanitation
The insights from this survey will guide the next phase of action deciding the most effective strategies, identifying priority groups, and designing ways to make the campaign more community-driven.
The campaign will involve awareness programs, promotion of waste management solutions, strengthened non-biodegradable waste collection by Haritha Karma Sena, mega cleaning drives, and sanitation rallies. In the coming days, Alappuzha constituency is set to witness a festival of cleanliness and community action.