The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has directed the Kozhikode Corporation to shift the waste segregation centre near the Light House to another location to avoid distress to the public.
After registering a suo moto complaint based on media reports, Commission Judicial member K. Baijunath directed the Corporation Secretary to take action and submit a report within six weeks.
Based on the Corporation Secretary’s initial reports, the waste collected from the second health circle of the corporation is segregated on the roadside opposite the Light House and Freedom Square. The waste is then moved to the waste management facility at Njeliyanparamba. The whole action takes place between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. and creates bad odour. The corporation has plans to shift the facility to Gandhi Road Junction and is waiting for the Port department’s approval.
In another report, the Executive Engineer (Roads Division) of the Public Works department (PWD), in a letter dated October 27, 2022, claimed to have made a demand to the corporation to shift the facility to implement the public’s right to movement. The PWD also finds it difficult to reconstruct the old drain in front of the Customs Quarters here, despite having ₹25 lakh allotted for the purpose, due to the waste collection facility.
The inhabitants of the Customs Quarters have also complained that the odour emanating from the waste cause them discomfort.
The Commission, in its order, pointed out the human rights violation in the issue especially since the corporation has admitted that the facility caused uncomfortable odour. It asked the corporation to shift the facility to a less-inhabited area.
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