Tamil Nadu Launches 12-Day 'Kuppai Thiruvizha 5.0' Zero-Waste Drive

The initiative, jointly announced by the government's Clean Tamil Nadu Company Limited (CTCL) and the Thooimai Mission, will be held from January 12 to January 23 and will involve coordinated action across urban and rural local bodies.

The campaign is built around four strategic objectives, with a strong emphasis on behavioural and cultural change.

Authorities aim to foster public responsibility for source segregation and organised waste management, making citizens active participants in the cleanliness mission rather than passive beneficiaries.

A major focus of the drive is the elimination of Garbage Vulnerable Points (GVPs). Chronic littering spots across cities, towns, and villages will be identified, cleared, and continuously monitored to prevent re-dumping. These areas are intended to be converted into socially useful public spaces, reinforcing the message that clean surroundings are a shared civic responsibility.

Resource recovery is another core pillar of Kuppai Thiruvizha 5.0.

Dedicated collection points for recyclable and reusable materials will be established to ensure that waste is diverted back into the economy through authorised aggregators.

The integration of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) under the Mahalir Thooimai Iyakkam will play a key role, with SHGs coordinating closely with local bodies and waste aggregators to regularise collection and recovery processes.

Coinciding with the harvest festival season, the state government has integrated the 'Pugai Illa Bhogi' (smoke-free Bhogi) campaign into the drive. On Bhogi, traditionally associated with the burning of old household items, departments such as Rural Development and Municipal Administration have been instructed to actively discourage the burning of waste. Instead, discarded materials will be collected at designated locations and channelled through authorised systems to ensure zero waste reaches landfills.

The initiative requires high-level coordination among departments, including the Greater Chennai Corporation, Rural Development, and Town Panchayats.

To support effective implementation, the CTCL has developed a dedicated digital dashboard for real-time monitoring, while district-level nodal officers have been mandated to undergo training. Standard Operating Procedures, waste calendars, tool kits, and a Thooimai pledge have been distributed to all local bodies.

Citizens are urged to participate by handing over dry and recyclable waste to collection centres, reinforcing the state's vision of turning waste into a valuable community resource.

- IANS