From Toxic Wasteland to Sporting Paradise
Residents of Laloor in Thrissur district are celebrating what many considered impossible - the complete transformation of their neighborhood from a massive garbage dumping ground into a vibrant sports complex. The newly inaugurated I M Vijayan Sports Complex, built at a cost of ₹59 crore, stands proudly on land that was once an environmental nightmare for local communities.
For 56-year-old K G Kishore Kumar, who grew up witnessing the garbage pile grow daily over three decades, this change represents a dream fulfilled. "We thought that at least three or four generations of Laloor would be destined to live with the waste. Many died fighting diseases caused by the toxic waste," he emotionally recalled.
The Political Promise That Made It Happen
The remarkable transformation began as an election promise by CPI leader V S Sunil Kumar during the 2016 Assembly elections. While campaigning as the Left Democratic Front candidate from Thrissur, Sunil Kumar committed to developing a new project at the Laloor garbage ground, where fresh waste dumping had been stopped since 2012 but legacy waste remained.
After the LDF came to power in 2016, Sunil Kumar became the agriculture minister and saw the project through. "The budget for 2016-17 had announced sports complexes in various centres with help from the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board," he explained. "We wanted to construct one sports complex in Thrissur, and the dumping ground in Laloor was suggested for the proposed project."
The Thrissur Municipal Corporation, which owned the trenching ground, handed over 14 acres for the sports complex. The first phase, now complete, has been named after Thrissur's football legend I M Vijayan.
World-Class Sports Facilities
The newly developed complex boasts impressive infrastructure that rivals national sports facilities:
- Indoor stadium with seating capacity for 5,000 spectators
- Three professional badminton courts
- One volleyball court and one basketball court
- Football court with synthetic turf
- Modern tennis court
- Olympic-standard swimming pool
- Administrative block with modern amenities
The complex also features contemporary dressing rooms for players, office chambers, VIP lounge areas, and other essential facilities. The state sports and youth affairs department will manage the complex operations.
Tackling Decades of Environmental Challenges
The journey to this transformation wasn't easy. Since 1998, Laloor had become a battleground against waste dumping as residents suffered from accumulated organic and inorganic garbage. The agitation gained statewide attention multiple times.
The turning point came in 2012 when a massive fire engulfed the garbage mountain, releasing toxic substances into the air. This environmental disaster forced the Thrissur corporation to stop fresh waste dumping immediately.
Congress councillor Laly James, who represented Laloor from 2010 to 2020, explained: "In 2012, we had stopped sending fresh loads to Laloor, which helped to end the agitation. Then, the corporation set up a bio-waste plant in the city as part of decentralised management in 2013."
The real breakthrough in waste management occurred in 2017 when the corporation launched the Haritha Karma Sena (green action force). This initiative employed women to collect non-biodegradable waste from households, segregate it at designated centers, and transfer it to the state-run Clean Kerala Company.
Cleaning Up Legacy Waste
Although fresh dumping stopped in 2012, the monumental task of removing legacy waste remained. The corporation spent ₹5 crore to remove 60,000 cubic metres of legacy waste through bio-mining, clearing the way for sports complex construction.
According to P K Shajan, the current municipal councillor representing Laloor division, the corporation has distributed bio-bins to 20,000 households out of 80,000 for organic waste treatment at home. "Besides, Thrissur is the only local body in Kerala where a crematorium was opened for animals as part of waste management," he added.
New Life for Laloor Residents
The transformation has dramatically improved the quality of life for Laloor residents. Shajan noted that "earlier, local youths found it very difficult to find life partners as most people did not want to live in the region. Family functions held here had very thin attendance due to the nauseating stench from the garbage hill."
Now, the sports complex is changing Laloor's fortunes completely. Real estate inquiries have increased significantly as the complex prepares to host national events in the future.
For Kishore Kumar and his family, the change is profoundly personal. "My son wanted to leave Laloor once he completed his BDS course. But now he has changed his mind. The transformation of the garbage hill to a sports complex is unbelievable. Now, we can proudly say that we are residents of Laloor and point to the sports complex as a landmark," he beamed.
The I M Vijayan Sports Complex, inaugurated on November 3, stands as a powerful symbol of how visionary governance can turn environmental challenges into community assets, proving that even the most polluted spaces can be reborn as centers of health, sport, and community pride.
