CATS Initiative to Make Kalady pollution free

KALADY: In a novel initiative, a charity organisation here has launched a project to make Kalady, the birth place of Adi Sankaracharya, a pollution-free area.As part of the ‘Clean Kalady’ project, Charity and Truthful Service (CATS) Club here has come out with various programmes to wipe out pollution from the historical town. The programme is being implemented in coordination with the panchayat, Merchants Association and Residents’ Associations in Kalady. “In the first phase, CATS club will supply environment-friendly shopping bags, which can be used permanently, to 1,000 families. This will be enhanced to 5,000 families shortly,” club president Jesto Paul told ‘Express’. The dumping of garbage in public places is causing serious environmental problems and affecting people’s health. Plastic carry bags and kits are thrown carelessly everywhere in Kalady, which is a tourist and pilgrim centre. Awareness classes on disposal of garbage, especially the methods to minimise the use of plastic bags, will be organised under the auspices of CATS. “Posters spreading the message of the need of a clean town and pollution-free environment will be placed at important junctions, roadsides and shops in the town. The project will introduce a new shopping culture and protect the nature and environment,” project coordinator  K A Stephen said.The office-bearers of CATS found that Kalady town could get rid of 50 lakhs plastic bags, if 1,000 families start using environment-friendly bags. The consumers will get special discount from select shops if they buy and collect products in environment-friendly bags. Negotiations with the Merchants’ Association are in the final stage in this connection.The project was formally inaugurated by actor Jagathy Sreekumar in Kalady on Saturday. Jagathy hoped that the novel project launched in Kalady, which contributed the Adwaitha Philosophy to the world, will spread to other parts of the country soon. CATS president Jesto Paul presided over the inaugural function. K P Dhanapalan MP inaugurated the distribution of environment-friendly shopping bags.  Jose Thettayil MLA delivered the keynote address. Panchayat president K B Sabu administered the oath.