Kozhikode Corporation to strengthen subsidy scheme for waste management equipment

Kozhikode Corp. providing 90% subsidized waste mgmt. equipment to households, yet only 37,000 applied in 2 phases. Lack of awareness & reluctance to accept cited as reasons. Equipment includes biogas plants, Bokashi buckets, ring compost, pipe compost, green bins. 24,000 applied in 1st phase, 17,000 in 2nd.

The Kozhikode Corporation is providing source-level waste management equipment to households at 90% subsidy. But there are several people in the city who are either unaware of the offer or are reluctant to accept it for various reasons.

The project that was launched a few months ago was aimed at helping 56,500 households. However, only around 37,000 households have applied for the equipment in two phases. “The lack of awareness about its usage is perceived to be one of the reasons for people’s reluctance,” said S. Jayasree, chairperson of the Health Standing Committee.

The civic body is providing waste management equipment such as biogas plants, Bokashi buckets, ring compost, pipe compost, and green bins at 10% of the actual cost. Yet, only around 24,000 people applied for them in the first phase, while a few withdrew later. Nearly 17,000 people applied in the second phase.

“We have been trying to pass the message through residents’ associations and the Haritha Karma Sena. Yet, many are unaware of the project. We plan to conduct training for the applicants on effective use of the equipment,” Ms. Jayasree said.

The equipment has been already handed over to the applicants in the first phase, and the second phase distribution will be held soon. “We received more applications for biogas plants than we anticipated. The equipment was not ready and hence the delay in completing the first phase,” she added. The project has been introduced to bring down the quantity of waste being transported to the Njeliyanparamba yard.