Alappuzha native makes a living by ridding Vembanad Lake of plastic pollution

Alappuzha's Suresh Kumar collects plastic waste from Vembanad Lake in Kerala to make a living and help reduce plastic pollution. He swims out twice a day to collect 500kg of plastic waste each month, donating a portion of the proceeds to those in need. His work highlights the lake's deteriorating condition due to plastic pollution, inspiring others to take action.

Suresh Kumar from Nehru Trophy ward in Alappuzha municipality is so proud to collect plastic garbage floating on Vembanad Lake and make a living by selling it to recycling firms.

The 58-year-old man ventures out to the waterbody on a small fibre boat twice a day and returns with a melange of trash, including plastic bottles and sachets, glass beer bottles, containers and so on. “I have a lot of free time and what I am doing is a small effort to reduce plastic pollution in this part of the lake. In a sense, I am doing a service but also make a living out of it,” says Mr. Kumar.

A good swimmer, he started collecting plastic and other floating garbage three years ago. “I had done different kinds of jobs, including the job of headload worker, in my life. A few years ago, after encountering a serious health issue, I began collecting plastic waste and other stuff floating on the water every morning and evening. Mostly I collect the waste in and around Punnamada (the hub of houseboat tourism),” says Mr. Kumar.

On an average, he collects and sells over 500 kg of plastic waste every month. He gets ₹10 per kg. Mr. Kumar, who has wife, two children and mother, also donates a portion of the proceeds from the plastic waste sales to children suffering from serious illnesses and those in need of assistance.

While Mr. Kumar’s work deserves praise, it sheds light on the deteriorating condition of Vembanad Lake, a designated Ramsar site, which is plagued by plastic pollution. “The plastic waste that I am collecting is those floating on the water. A much higher quantity of plastic debris is lying on the lake bed,” he says.

Kevin Rozario, general secretary, All Kerala Houseboat Owners and Operators’ Samiti, says Mr. Kumar is an inspiration to others. “He is doing a job that even the government is reluctant to do. The issue of plastic pollution in Vembanad Lake is a big problem. Earlier, there was a system to collect plastic, including from houseboats. That system is not functioning effectively now. Waste is being accumulated in tourist places. The government should make effective interventions to save Vembanad Lake from an ecological disaster,” says Mr. Rozario.