Kochi resident association's waste management hailed

Impressed by the zero waste management practice initiated by a neighbourhood association near here, Kerala Suchitwa Mission is planning to replicate the model in such communities across the state.
One among the oldest neighborhood associations of Kochi, Link Valley Residents Association (LIVRA) in Kakkanad was awarded with a 5-star Green Protocol rating, making it the country's first such community.
" Suchitwa Mission would like to take this up this 'Link Valley Model' and replicate this across the state; we would also like to showcase this model at appropriate central government platforms as this is a guiding sample to the modern day urban communities," Executive Director of Kerala Government's Suchitwa Mission, K Vasuki said.

Reducing waste was the best waste management practice, the official was quoted as saying in a release.
Vasuki appreciated Link Valley and Pelican Foundation for their bold initiative to develop a Zero Waste Community.
She said the project was of great prominence and every residents' association should model LIVRA and launch similar projects for which Suchitwa Mission will extend support.

The protocols were implemented with the guidance of Suchitwa Mission under the local self-government department of Government of Kerala and Pelican Foundation- a CSR initiative of Pelican Biotech & Chemicals Labs for waste management and plastic recycling.
Speaking at the ceremony held on January 28, Thrikkakara MLA P T Thomas said a shop within the community thatuses no packaging materials was a wonderful idea towards reducing significant plastic and other waste materials. "This takes us back to an era where each one of us walk into the neighborhood store with a container to buy groceries and other stuff. I would appreciate the efforts of Link Valley and its residents for this remarkable national level achievement," Thomas said inaugurating the neighborhood grocery store set up within the community.

Ernakulam District Collector K Mohammed Y Safirulla visited Link Valley and personally explored the waste management practices implemented in the community.
The release said the Link Valley was planning to extend its waste management practices through 'Beyond the Bins' program with the support of Pelican Foundation.