THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Poovachal panchayat of Kerala is all set to receive the Nava Kerala award for best waste management practices which are being implemented systematically for the past few years. The panchayat adopted scientific garbage management techniques in 2018 on the line of government norms through ‘haritha karma sena’.
The karma sena is responsible for collecting all non-biodegradable waste from households and businesses and taking it to recycling shredding units. The collected waste is sorted into different categories based on its characteristics. According to the mission, the Clean Kerala Company distributes this shredded plastic to the local governments and includes it in road tarring.
The collection of waste by karma sena is done on the basis of a user fee. The houses are required to pay Rs 20, and shops Rs 50, which has now changed to Rs 50 and Rs 100, respectively. This amount is collected and provided to the haritha karma sena workers as part of their wages.