Clear plastic waste without delay: Vijayan
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T'puram: With plastic waste being washed ashore in several areas of Thiruvananthapuram district following the shipwreck off the Kerala coast, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has directed the chief secretary to utilise the services of civil defence volunteers to clear the debris without delay.
The chief secretary convened an emergency meeting with the district collectors of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Alappuzha. During the meeting, it was decided that all communication between districts and the state govt regarding the incident would be routed through a single point of contact to ensure streamlined coordination. The state disaster management authority will provide standard protocols to the respective district collectors on how to safely handle the deposited materials.
Authorities also decided that no one should approach or handle the washed-ashore materials under any circumstances. To enforce this, public announcements through loudspeakers will be made in affected areas. District collectors have been directed to initiate steps to mobilise volunteers for the clean-up operations, under the supervision of the fire and rescue services department.
Emphasising the urgency of the situation, the chief minister said there was no cause for public concern and assured that normalcy would be restored at the earliest.
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The issue would be resolved swiftly and the waste would be removed efficiently, and the original condition of the coastline would be restored, the CM said.
Meanwhile, revenue minister K Rajan said the govt has not so far received any information affirming that the oil spill from the sunken ship has reached the coastal areas. He said the govt is taking measures, in collaboration with other agencies, to check the oil spill from reaching the shores.
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