Alappuzha: The Kerala State Beverages Corporation (Bevco) is considering setting up special ‘bottle booths’ at its outlets to collect used liquor bottles in exchange for a small refund. The move comes in response to growing concerns over the careless disposal of empty bottles and broken glass along roadsides, water bodies, and other public spaces.

By collecting and recycling these bottles, liquor manufacturing companies will also be able to reduce production costs. Discussions about implementing the scheme are currently in the preliminary stage, and Bevco officials have reportedly asked some companies for suggestions on how to take the project forward.

Bevco’s 284 outlets across the state sell an average of 510 million bottles of liquor annually. A majority of these bottles are carelessly discarded after use. To address this issue, Bevco is now exploring a return-and-refund system to encourage proper disposal and recycling.

Activist Chandradas behind the push

The proposal also gained momentum after Alappuzha-based social activist Chandradas Kesavapillai submitted a formal request to Bevco and the Excise Minister. Bevco received this petition while looking into a similar plan to address the issue.

Chandradas, a former Revenue Department official, said he was prompted to act after a recent incident in Alappuzha where a firefighter was injured by broken glass during a rescue operation involving a car that fell into a canal. "Such issues are common in many places," he noted, adding that this was the reason he submitted the petition.

Chandradas is also known for his relentless advocacy that led to a government order requiring beneficiaries of appointments on compassionate grounds to commit, in writing, that they will support other dependents. The failure to do so would result in 25 percent of their salary being withheld. He also played a key role in the introduction of surveillance cameras in anganwadis and the implementation of ‘Talking Parlours’, a concept aimed at combating loneliness among the elderly.