Scrap shop to cleanse Kamakshi panchayat, rake in money too
The Hindu
The Kamakshi panchayat in Idukki has opened a scrap shop to achieve its mission of ‘zero waste.’
The Kamakshi panchayat in Idukki has opened a scrap shop to achieve its mission of ‘zero waste.’ According to panchayat officials, within three days, the new scrap shop has collected nearly one load of scrap from the wards in the panchayat and is ready to sell to other agencies.
The panchayat consists of 15 wards and 21 Haritha Karma Sena members are engaged in collecting garbage, said Kamakshi panchayat president Anumol Jose. “We came to know that the nearby Erattayar panchayat has been selling scrap and earning extra income for the Haritha Karma Sena. Hence we decided to open a scrap shop,” said Ms. Jose.
“The Haritha Karma Sena members will collect scrap from each house and pay the householders. People can also directly bring scrap to the shop and collect money,” said the president.
“Once the scrap shop was announced, many agencies contacted us and expressed willingness to collect scrap from the doorstep. The main aim of the venture is to transform Kamakshi to a zero-waste panchayat. The money earned through the scrap shop will be used for the functioning of Haritha Karma Sena,” said Ms. Jose.
Last November, the Erattayar panchayat in the district had opened a scrap shop, which became a big success within six months.
Former president of Erattayar panchayat Jinson Varkey said the panchayat segregated and sold each scrap item through various agencies. “Our unit sorts plastics into 18 varieties. Every month five to six tonnes of scrap is collected from the 14 wards under the panchayat. The reality is that there is demand for all scrap items,” said Mr. Varkey.
Erattayar panchayat Haritha Karma Sena coordinator Aby Varghese said the panchayat sold ₹50,000 to ₹60,000 worth of scrap every month. “When segregated properly, we get money for all scrap, including old chappals. Recently, we collected scrap from the nearby panchayat of Vathikudy,” said Mr. Varghese.
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