User fee card for services; local bodies to intensify action

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Local bodies will make user fee cards mandatory for services to ensure that non-organic waste is managed through Haritha Karma Sena. Minister MB Rajesh has announced that the government will introduce a law to collect user fees from people. Without waiting till then, the Local Self Government Department has decided to include the user fee card of Haritha Karma Sena along with the applications submitted for services in the local bodies.

The local self-government department issued the order in the context of campaigns that claim that it is illegal to collect user fees. The local bodies have complete authority in this.

As there is no way to dispose of inorganic wastes which are harmful to nature in homes and institutions, they should be given to Haritha Karma Sena. The local self-government department is intensifying the action because dumping and burning inorganic wastes are harmful to the soil and nature. Haritha Karma Sena members under Clean Kerala Company collect waste by fixing a fee of 50 rupees in panchayats, 70 rupees in municipalities and 100 rupees in municipal bodies. These should be collected once a month. As the functioning of Haritha Karma Sena through Kudumbashree has been spread across the state, there is no turning back. The government also feels that there is a good response from the people.

• 30,000 women in Haritha Karma Sena.
• The inorganic waste collected by Haritha Karma Sena will be segregated and given to Clean Kerala Company.
• The company will provide recyclables from plastic to authorized agencies.
• The rest will be ground and given to cement companies.
• The company will charge a small percentage of the revenue for expenses
• The rest will be given to the Haritha Karma Sena group.
• Rs 10,000 will be ensured for each member of Haritha Karma Sena
• E-waste in offices is another source of income for the Clean Kerala Company