Kannur Corporation to launch online booking system for septic tank cleaning
The Kannur Corporation plans to launch an online booking and monitoring system for septic tank cleaning services in the next two weeks, becoming the first local body in the state to implement such a system.
Mayor P. Indira said the service would be available on demand to all residents in the corporation’s jurisdiction, including apartments and other residential complexes that require septic tank cleaning.
“The main objective of the initiative is to ensure that faecal sludge goes to a sewage treatment plant instead of being illegally discharged into waterways, thereby reducing water pollution and environmental contamination,” she said.
“The platform will enable residents within the corporation limits to book authorized septic tank cleaning vehicles online, make digital payments, receive booking confirmations and tokens based on SMS and ensure that the collected faecal sludge is transported to the faecal sludge treatment plant for scientific processing,” a senior corporation official told The Hindu.
He said the system is meant to regulate private sewage operators, prevent illegal discharge of sewage into canals and bodies of water and curb water pollution.
“If a person registers through the portal, a token will be generated for them through SMS. After making the online payment, an authorized vehicle will arrive at the scheduled time to collect the sludge, take it to our treatment plant for processing and complete the service through the token-based system,” the official said.
The company will also make it mandatory for private vehicles to clear septic tanks on the platform. Only vehicles with the necessary approval and permission of the Regional Transport Authority will be able to drive through the platform and bring the collected fecal sludge to the Company’s treatment plant after paying the prescribed processing fee through the online portal.
“Currently, some private operators reportedly charge between ₹10,000 and ₹30,000 for desilting services. The company expects the new system to provide services at significantly lower rates through a regulated mechanism,” he said.
The online platform is developed by Kannur-based Nellikka Complete Solutions Private Limited, a company specializing in solid waste management services, which has been linked to the company’s online transaction system since 2018.
The company’s faecal sludge treatment facility is currently the only such facility in Kannur district and is equipped with advanced screening and processing machinery. Similar facilities exist in other city corporations, but none have implemented such an integrated online booking and monitoring system.
The company is also planning to expand the capacity and operational area of the treatment plant to accommodate the increased sludge volume expected after the online system goes live.
Published – 03 Jul 2026 23:27 IST