IDUKKI: Idukki’s remote Erattayar panchayat has found a place in the central government’s Economic Survey for its success story in waste management.

The report, released on Friday, lauded the panchayat’s model of sustainable development, emphasising the role of community empowerment in achieving significant environmental and economic progress. The initiative, which focuses on waste management, has become a benchmark for both environmental preservation and job creation, particularly for women, the survey noted.

Speaking to TNIE, panchayat secretary Dhanesh said the local body’s mission to transform Erattayar into a plastic-free zone began in 2020 and the primary step for implementing the same was the formation of a consortium, headed by the Haritha Karma Sena (HKS). “To support HKS and ensure the continuous functioning of the team, separate activity groups were formed with the support of Kudumbashree to ensure better remuneration for volunteers,” he said.

Dhanesh said the monthly income of an HKS volunteer hardly drops below `10,000, thanks to the user fee they collect from households and institutions. “A citizen information board (CIB)-making unit, functioning under Kudumbashree, is another source of income for workers. A bio-waste composting unit functioning under the local body also offers job opportunities,” he said.

Panchayat president Anand Sunilkumar said the collected waste is segregated into 22 categories based on quality and type. “Those involved in the shredding and baling of plastic waste have received training on operating the unit, as per the demands of recyclers. The panchayat has two balers at its material collection facility,” he said.

The baled plastic is sold to private recycling companies. High-quality LD plastic scrap can fetch around Rs 29/kg.

Minimum-legacy-waste mission

Dhanesh said that through continues awareness, HKS has started receiving segregated and cleaned plastic materials from the source itself. Although the panchayat currently hands over legacy waste to cement companies, through effective waste-management initiatives, starting from households, we aim to be a minimum-legacy-waste panchayat in the future,” he said

He said the 26-member HKS team ensures the collection of user fees from nearly 85% of households and 90% of institutions, generating around `2.5 lakh a month.