THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Haritha Karma Sena workers are elated to enter into another year with the joy of achieving a record income of Rs 10 crore through non-organic waste collection. Haritha Karma Sena received Rs 8.11 crore last year for sorting out inorganic wastes from houses and institutions in the state. RRF workers who transported the waste materials received Rs 2 crore in total collection.

An average of Rs 70 lakhs was paid to Haritha Karma Sena members as salary per month. Rs 35 lakhs sanctioned as salary in August 2022 is the highest allowed salary in 2023. There are 35,000 Haritha Karma Sena members. The Clean Kerala Company under the local department is coordinating the work. The fee is based on the amount of waste collected and sorted. From January to December, 44,329 tonnes of waste was collected.

The record revenue was attributed to 9,836 tonnes of waste sorted. Kannur is leading in waste collection. Alappuzha and Kollam are in the next positions. Idukki and Wayanad shared the bottom of the list.

Pathanamthitta district collected 35 tonnes of waste in 2023 compared to the 7 tonnes the district collected in 2022. It was one of the most remarkable progress from a district in Kerala. 227 tonnes of powdered plastic was handed over including for road construction. 1,734 tonnes were transferred for recycling and 465 tonnes were also given to cement factories where recycling was not possible.

E-waste collected amounted to 239 tonnes. Haritha Karma Sena also collected 27 tonnes of hazardous waste last year. 2,409 tons of glass, 263 tons of cloth, 33 tons of shoes and bags, 6 tons of vehicle tires and 10 tons of medicine strips were collected.