Thiruvananthapuram: The Suchitwa Mission has strengthened the Green Protocol implemented during the last Lok Sabha and local body elections. The mission of the mission is to ensure that the election is free from pollution and does not harm the people or the environment. Each time thousands of tons of waste are left behind after the election campaign and polling. The Suchitwa Mission and Haritha Kerala Mission aim to minimize the amount of these and to treat the waste generated scientifically.
Candidates and political parties should not use PVC fluxes, banners, billboards plastic flags for campaigning. Avoid the use of all kinds of materials such as Korean cloth mixed with PVC plastic, nylon, polyester, polyester fabric, non-recyclable banners, and boards with a plastic component or plastic coating. If the use of these is found, the public can complain about the C Vigil app. These will be removed and the cost will be borne by the respective parties.
Only banners or boards made from 100% cotton recyclable materials such as cloth, paper, and polyethylene should be used for campaign events. Printing materials must include the recyclable, PVC-free logo, expiration date, name of the printing company, and printing number when printing such material. Traditional eco-friendly materials such as bamboo, coconut leaves, palm, and banana leaves should be promoted for decoration during the election tour.
All recyclable and reusable campaign materials remaining after the election should be collected by the respective political parties and handed over to Clean Kerala Company Limited, a Government Company, through the Haritha Karma Sena of the Local Self Government Institutions. Do not inadvertently throw or burn.
When setting up polling booths, the concerned officials should take special care to eliminate the prohibited plastic items. Awareness of the Green Protocol should be provided in the training programs of election officials. Arrangements should be made for separate collection and talk of biomedical waste in compliance with the Covid protocol.