Living in the coastal town of Pondicherry, I’m used to seeing garbage spilling out of every dustbin on the streets; dogs and cows eating from dumps; being exposed to rotting smell every time I pass garbage dumps. Once I even fell into a garbage heap, when I lost my balance while cycling. Ughh!

Travelling around the rural areas of the Kerala hills, I was surprised that there was absolutely no garbage anywhere. I wondered what was it that made this state so squeaky-clean…

Kerala is known for its cleanliness and beauty due to a combination of factors. In this pretty little village called Karsanad, I noticed that the garbage collectors who belong to the normal working class of the community, collect the plastic and non-biodegradable garbage early in the morning at around 6 am. They are monitored by the Panchayat. They lock these sacks of plastic in a cage (see picture) so that no animals or strong wind can spread it around. Then like everyone else they go off to work in the fields or plantations. After a few days this waste is collected for recycling. The biodegradable waste is managed by each family themselves. Since most people have a couple of goats, cows and hens, all kitchen waste is eaten by these animals. It’s so simple!  

One of the main reasons for this efficient garbage collection system is the state’s emphasis on environmental conservation and sustainable development. Kerala has a strong tradition of community participation in waste management, and there are many government-led and community-based initiatives in place to promote cleanliness and waste segregation. Kerala also has a relatively high literacy rate, which also contributes to the people’s awareness and participation in keeping the state clean.