Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 22 (IANS): As Kerala tries to find a way to tackle the waste generated through various means which includes fining people who throw litter on the streets, a top state government official on Friday opined that the private sector can contribute significantly to it too.

Additional Chief Secretary, Sarada Muraleedharan, said that the government or public sector agencies alone cannot address the challenges relating to waste management, since there are gaps which need to be filled with the participation of the private sector.

"Many established entrepreneurs as well as startups have already entered the field, thanks to the public awareness created by the Malinya Muktham Nava Keralam campaign and the ceaseless efforts being made by the government," she said, while inaugurating a workshop for entrepreneurs organized by the Local Self Government Department (LSGD) as part of the campaign.

"This is also a field that promises plenty of green business opportunities for entrepreneurs. Since the quantum of non-bio waste keeps accumulating at the ground level day by day, the government would like to strengthen the private sector role to ensure proper upward linkage of such stock. Private players will be able to organise the task in a better and faster way, bypassing bureaucratic formalities," Muraleedharan said.

She assured that government will ensure that a conducive atmosphere is created for private enterprises coming forward in the waste management sector.