Kerala is making significant strides in environmental sustainability, with a impressive total of 11 institutions now achieving carbon-negative status. The Haritha Keralam Mission has officially conferred this green distinction, primarily to educational institutions, with the notable inclusion of Kannur Central Jail – marking it as the first correctional facility in the state to join this elite list.
This pioneering recognition is based on comprehensive carbon emission audits meticulously carried out by the mission, as part of their ambitious ‘Net Zero Carbon Keralam’ campaign.
E.K. Somasekharan, the district coordinator for the mission in Kannur, shed light on the unique challenges faced by the central jail in achieving this goal. “During our carbon audit, we identified numerous hurdles, particularly in managing wastewater, plastic waste, and overall water resources. However, through the unwavering dedication of both staff and inmates, we successfully bridged these gaps, enabling the jail to achieve a carbon-negative footprint,” Mr. Somasekharan explained.
The jail is currently awaiting the official declaration of its status. Its success story involves several innovative solutions: implementing a wastewater treatment plant using indigenous knowledge, repurposing treated water for agricultural activities, establishing efficient material collection facilities, rigorously segregating waste, and transforming cow dung into valuable fertilizer to mitigate emissions.
An official from the jail highlighted the additional complexity of their situation, noting, “It’s truly exceptional for an older correctional facility like ours to become carbon negative. Newer structures often have the advantage of being designed with sustainability in mind from the outset. This achievement is a testament to the consistent, collective efforts of our inmates and staff.”
The distinguished list of carbon-negative institutions includes: Mar Gregorios College of Law Thiruvananthapuram; Jyothi Engineering College, Thrissur; Teak Museum, Nilambur; Navodaya Adivasi Aided Upper Primary School, Manikavu, Wayanad; College of Engineering, Thalassery, Kannur; AC Kannan Nair Smaraka Govt UP School, Melangot, Kasaragod; Bishop Moore College, Mavelikara; Nehru Arts And Science College, Kanhangad; Kannur Central Jail, GLPS Malappanchery, Kasaragod, and Tashko Stone Crusher Unit, Kasaragod.
Interestingly, the Navodaya school in Manikavu, Wayanad, secured its carbon-negative status earlier this year without requiring any additional initiatives. Suresh Babu, district coordinator of the Navakeralam Karma Padhathi, remarked, “The school has consistently engaged in a variety of sustainable activities, maintaining a lush green cover and effectively managing its own waste. Out of the nine institutions we selected in the district for the net-zero carbon campaign, this school stands out as the only one to achieve this status so swiftly.”