All college and university campuses in the State will be declared zero-waste on June 5, World Environment Day, Minister for Higher Education R. Bindu has said.
At a press conference here on Friday, Dr. Bindu said the declaration, as part of Waste-Free Kerala, not only aimed at making campuses waste-and-litter-free but also send across the message of waste-free public spaces through awareness activities. Students would be roped in as brand ambassadors of the Waste-free Kerala campaign.
Dr. Bindu would make the ‘zero-waste campus’ announcement at Central Stadium at 9 a.m. on June 5. Minister for General Education V. Sivankutty would be present.
The same day, 1,000 college students would take part in an intensive cleaning campaign in the city as part of the zero-waste campus initiative. The stretch from the south gate of the Secretariat to Ayyankali Square at Vellayambalam would be cleaned by National Service Scheme (NSS), National Cadet Corps (NCC), and other campus clubs in a symbolic gesture of similar activities on other campuses.
To create awareness of waste-free campus, the NCC would take up the task of keeping War Memorial-Martyrs’ Column plastic-free, while the National Service Scheme (NSS) would maintain Manaveeyam Veedhi and Ayyankali Square as plastic-free areas.
Similarly, college students in all cities would take up cleaning activities in the local bodies where their institutions function.
Elaborate programmes were prepared as part of the Waste-free Kerala campaign at a meeting attended by Directors of Collegiate Education and Technical Education, university registrars, NCC and NSS chiefs, college principals, department coordinators, and so on.
The primary directive was to ensure that there are waste management facilities on campuses. It would be ensured that teaching and non-teaching staff and students together rid campuses of all litter, Dr. Bindu said. Students, as brand ambassadors of zero-waste campus, would conduct educational programmes to increase awareness among the public. These would include public speeches and house visits. Cultural programmes, skits, and flash mobs too would be held.
Start-ups planned
College students would be encouraged to launch start-ups for waste management. Arrangements would be put in place for scientific management of chemical waste from laboratories. Napkin vending machines and incinerators too would be installed in colleges. Directions have also been given to create awareness of use of menstrual cups as part of waste-free initiatives.
