Under the new system, every waste transport trip will be tracked in real time using GPS-enabled vehicles, QR-coded trip sheets, and automatic alerts for any violations. The measures are aimed at ensuring full transparency from the waste generator to the final disposal site.
Published Oct 31, 2025 | 8:00 AM ⚊ Updated Oct 31, 2025 | 8:00 AM
In 2024, Kerala’s green credentials took a major hit when a controversy erupted over the illegal dumping of biomedical and other wastes in neighbouring Tamil Nadu.
Synopsis: Kerala has introduced a comprehensive GPS-based monitoring system to curb the illegal transport and dumping of waste in neighbouring states, nearly a year after the state was embroiled in a scandal involving the illegal dumping of medical waste in Tamil Nadu. Under the new e-Tracks platform, all waste transport vehicles must register online, use QR-coded trip sheets, and enable real-time tracking to ensure full transparency from generation to disposal.
In a decisive move to curb the illegal transport of waste across its borders, the Kerala State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has issued new guidelines mandating GPS-based online registration and tracking of all vehicles transporting waste outside the state.
The initiative follows a stern directive from the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which in had previously pulled up the state for unchecked dumping of its solid, plastic, and biomedical waste in neighbouring Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Under the new system, every waste transport trip will be tracked in real time using GPS-enabled vehicles, QR-coded trip sheets, and automatic alerts for any violations. The measures are aimed at ensuring full transparency from the waste generator to the final disposal site.
“As per Rule 16(6) of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, the State Pollution Control Board is mandated to regulate the inter-state movement of waste. In line with the directions of the NGT we were in the process of developing a continuous online monitoring system to track the entire waste management chain from generation to disposal,” a senior official said.
Enforcement agencies, including the Police, Motor Vehicles Department (MVD), GST, and Forest Departments, will be able to verify waste consignments on the spot through a dedicated mobile application.
Meanwhile, the KSPCB’s central control room will monitor all vehicle movements live to detect and prevent any illegal dumping activities.
The new e-Tracks platform (etracks.kerala.gov.in) introduces a three-tier digital monitoring system comprising a web portal, a Transporter App, and an Enforcement Authority App.
All stakeholders, including enforcement authorities, must first register with the portal before being able to use the platforms.
The web-based portal functions as the operational hub, enabling waste generators, transporters, and receivers to coordinate and document every stage of waste movement.
Waste generators, referred to as occupiers, can register and log in to the portal, create digital trip sheets, assign them to transporters and receivers, and track consignments throughout their journey.
Each trip begins at the occupier’s premises and concludes at the recipient’s facility, with essential data recorded at both points.
The Transporter App simplifies the duties of registered waste transporters. Once logged in, they can access assigned trip sheets, record trip start and end details, and generate a unique QR code for each trip. This QR code serves as a digital identifier, allowing verification of each vehicle’s consignment at checkpoints.
Integration with GPS ensures real-time monitoring, promoting compliance and preventing illegal dumping or unauthorised route changes.
For enforcement personnel, the Enforcement Authority App acts as a smart verification tool at inter-state borders. Officials can scan a vehicle’s QR code or enter its registration number to instantly access trip details and confirm authenticity.
The system enables on-the-spot verification, quicker inspections, and greater transparency. Authorities can also monitor vehicle movement in real time, receive alerts for route deviations or violations, and generate detailed reports for follow-up action.
To operationalise the system effectively, all vehicles transporting waste outside Kerala must be fitted with GPS devices approved by the MVD and registered with the Suraksha Mitra App before being onboarded to the e-Tracks portal.
The MVD will also provide the Pollution Control Board access to vehicle GPS data within two days of receiving a request, ensuring smooth coordination between departments.
The State government has introduced strict enforcement measures under various waste management regulations.
Only non-biodegradable waste, Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF), e-waste, and hazardous waste—managed as per respective national guidelines—will be allowed for inter-state transport. The movement of biomedical and biodegradable waste outside the State is strictly prohibited.
Unregistered vehicles or those providing false information on the official waste transport portal will face stringent action.
Enforcement authorities have the power to seize such vehicles, register First Information Reports (FIRs), and coordinate with the KSPCB and local bodies to ensure scientific waste disposal.
Police have been instructed to invoke relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, the Kerala Police Act, 2011, and municipal and panchayat laws to prosecute offenders involved in illegal dumping, water pollution, and littering. Vehicles used in such offences may also be seized.
To prevent the inflow of banned single-use plastics, the government will establish green check-posts along State borders.
A 10-member State-level Committee, led by the Principal Secretary of the Local Self-Government Department (LSGD), and 14 District-level Committees, chaired by respective District Collectors, will oversee implementation and monitoring.
Coordination will take place through a centralised web portal managed by the KSPCB, which will provide login credentials to all stakeholders for integrated action.
In 2024, Kerala’s green credentials took a major hit when a controversy erupted over the illegal dumping of biomedical and other wastes in neighbouring Tamil Nadu.
The issue triggered outrage and raised questions about the State’s waste management system, while also forcing authorities in the State to undertake the return transport of 18 truckloads of waste from various parts of Tirunelveli district.
In a submission before the NGT on 24 December 2024, then Environment Secretary Dr Rathan U Kelkar informed that the State had launched a swift and coordinated cleanup operation following the Tribunal’s order dated 19 December.
The Environment Department, Local Self-Government Department, Kerala State Pollution Control Board, and Clean Kerala Company joined forces to remove the biomedical, food, plastic, and other wastes from the affected sites within the stipulated period.
Dr Kelkar told the Tribunal that the waste was transported back to Kerala under official supervision, with close coordination maintained with Tamil Nadu authorities. He also assured that strict monitoring protocols had been put in place to prevent a repeat of such incidents.
However, despite these assurances, fresh cases of illegal dumping have continued to surface. Officials now believe that digitising the entire waste management chain, from collection to disposal, could finally plug the loopholes and bring accountability to a system long plagued by negligence and cross-border violations.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
