Disposal of waste in public places to attract penalty in Kerala; govt to bring ordinances

Improper disposal of waste in public places will attract penalty in Kerala as the Left government on Tuesday decided to bring in ordinances in an effort to make the state garbage-free by March 2024. The state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan decided to recommend to the Governor to promulgate two ordinances - the Kerala Municipality (Amendment) Ordinance 2023 and the Kerala Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Ordinance 2023- to achieve the goal.

In a statement, after approval for the drafts of the ordinances by the Cabinet, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said the new ordinances would deal with fines and penalties for improper disposal of garbage in public places.

Official sources said the decision to enact this ordinance was prompted by the Kerala High Court's observations in various cases, emphasising the need to raise public awareness about civic responsibilities regarding waste management.


The government meticulously modified existing Acts, focusing on waste management provisions, to formulate this ordinance. It encompasses punitive measures for those found in violation, a source said.

Besides, the state government has set an ambitious target of achieving waste-free status for the entire state by March 2024, a source told PTI.

A campaign titled "Malinyamukta Nava Keralam" has already been launched to spearhead this initiative.

In another decision, the state cabinet has approved the allocation of 25 cents of land in Cheruvakkal village, for the establishment of a zonal office for the National Highways Authority of India.

This decision was made in response to a request from the NHAI.

The land, valued at a price of Rs 1.38 crore, will serve as the designated site for the office of the NHAI.