Punalur municipality launches CARE initiative for carbon-neutral future
Punalur's CARE project aims for carbon neutrality via waste management, EVs, solar power, and mass tree planting.
The Punalur municipality in Keralam has unveiled its 'CARE' vision document, a comprehensive climate resilience initiative designed to steer the town towards carbon neutrality. The roadmap was released by former Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac, with Municipal Chairperson M.A. Rajagopal presiding over the ceremony.
Rajagopal stressed that tackling complex environmental issues requires unified community participation and called on residents to support the project's implementation fully. The initiative responds to mounting ecological pressures in the region, including rising summer temperatures, erratic microclimatic shifts, and acute seasonal water scarcity.
CARE adopts a multi-sectoral strategy to reduce carbon emissions. Key measures include modernising waste management systems, promoting electric vehicle adoption, and encouraging rooftop solar installations. The programme also aims to integrate decentralised waste processing to systematically lower the town's ecological footprint.
Execution will rely on grassroots networks, with the municipality mobilising Kudumbashree workers and the Ayyankali Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme for local implementation. Operational targets include planting one lakh fruit tree saplings across public and private land, expanding school green clubs, and establishing city-wide waste infrastructure.
Officials note that the project's success depends on decentralised execution, ensuring households become active participants in carbon reduction. By merging employment schemes with ecological restoration, Punalur hopes to create a replicable model for climate adaptation across Kerala.