Kerala Citizens Earn ₹1.3 Lakh Rewards for Busting Waste Dumpers
Kerala imposed fines totaling ₹61.47 lakh on illegal waste dumpers in 755 cases reported through a dedicated WhatsApp number in one year, officials announced Saturday.
Citizens earned ₹1.29 lakh in rewards for providing evidence-backed complaints through the Local Self Government Department’s (LSGD) digital vigilance system launched last year. The WhatsApp initiative generated 5.58% of the state’s total ₹11.01 crore waste dumping penalties.
Of 12,265 total complaints received, authorities processed 7,912 submissions with adequate documentation and took action on 7,362 cases. Prosecution proceedings were initiated in 63 incidents.
Thiruvananthapuram recorded the highest violations (2,100), followed by Ernakulam (2,028), while Wayanad reported the fewest (155 cases). The system transformed ordinary citizens into environmental enforcers, with participants simply photographing violations and submitting evidence via the messaging platform.
LSGD Minister M.B. Rajesh congratulated public participation, stating the initiative enhanced vigilance and monitoring of waste management activities across the state.
The WhatsApp-based reporting system represents Kerala’s innovative approach to crowd-sourced governance, demonstrating how digital platforms can effectively mobilize citizen participation in environmental protection while providing financial incentives for civic responsibility.
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