Latest news with #HKS
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
HKS's e-waste initiative is turning trash into cash
T'puram: The e-waste collection initiative launched by Haritha Karma Sena (HKS) in state's municipalities has garnered a positive response. Within a month of its inception, 33,945kg e-waste were collected, with Alappuzha district recording the highest collection at 12,261kg. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "Handing over e-waste to HKS also generates income. The Sena collects 44 types of non-hazardous electronic and electrical items in exchange for payment based on weight. So far, households have received about Rs 2.6 lakh in return for e-waste. The programme, currently implemented in municipalities, will be expanded statewide by next month," a statement read. Items accepted include TVs, refrigerators, washing machines, microwave ovens, mixer grinders, fans, laptops, computers, monitors, mice, keyboards, LCD monitors, LCD/LED televisions, printers, photocopy machines, iron boxes, motors, mobile phones, telephones, radios, modems, air conditioners, batteries, inverters, UPS, stabilisers, water heaters, water coolers, induction cookers, SMPS, hard disks, CD drives, PCB boards, speakers, headphones, switchboards and emergency lamps. The collected equipment is sent to Clean Kerala Company for sorting. Useful materials are set aside for reuse, while recyclable items are handed over to companies in the field. Materials of no use are disposed of according to precise standards. Payments to households and institutions are sourced from either HKS consortium fund or the local body's own fund. When Clean Kerala Company takes over, this amount is reimbursed to the Sena. The project, aimed at ensuring the scientific processing of e-waste, is implemented by local self-govt department in collaboration with Clean Kerala Company, Sanitation Mission and Kudumbashree.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Haritha Mithram 2.0 application for waste collection promises better monitoring and online payment facilities
The Local self government department has readied Haritha Mithram 2.0, the improved version of the mobile application for doorstep collection of waste, with online payment facilities, better monitoring of doorstep waste collection, Malayalam language support and integration with the KSMART system. The pilot run of the new application is ongoing in 30 local bodies. The implementation of the online payment system is expected to bring transparency in user fee collection. The Haritha Karma Sena (HKS) members deployed for waste collection will also have a more user-friendly interface to deal with in the new application. The department organised a training programme for HKS members to familiarise them with the upgraded application. Along with Malayalam, work is ongoing to add more languages including Tamil and Kannada to the application. The department is now mapping all buildings in the State through KSMART to the Haritha Mithram application to ensure complete waste collection coverage. The application provides an option for common collection facilities for flat complexes and industrial establishments. In such cases, a common bill will be generated for the entire complex. Another new option is the availability of on demand services, which would allow the public to get services outside the regular calendar of the HKS. Currently, the various kinds of waste including cloth and glass are collected only in specific months. Through the new application, people can demand collection of specific kinds of waste on payment of a fixed fee. This particular feature will be implemented only as per the decisions of the respective local body and HKS unit in each area. In the next update of the application, the residents will get notification on the upcoming waste collection date and time, as well as contact information of the HKS worker who will collect the waste. Since the new application and data in it are completely cloud-based, some of the technical issues associated with the previous version are expected to be addressed. The Haritha Mithram 2.0 application will be formally launched in Thiruvananthapuram on August 20.
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Scheme launched to provide entrepreneurial opportunities to Haritha Karma Sena workers
With an aim to enhance the livelihood of Haritha Karma Sena (HKS) workers involved in waste collection in urban local bodies, the State government has launched a scheme to provide them with entrepreneurial opportunities and additional income streams. Minister for Local Self-Governments M.B. Rajesh inaugurated the scheme at a function held at Anthoor municipality in Kannur on Thursday (August 14, 2025), with the opening of the 'Bhoomika' organic fertilizer production and marketing unit established by the Anthoor HKS consortium. The new initiative, part of the Kerala Solid Waste Management Project (KSWMP) and supported by the World Bank, is expected to benefit more than 7,000 HKS members in 93 municipalities. The programme will focus on establishing value-added enterprises under each local body's HKS consortium, with activities including cloth bag production, organic fertilizer manufacturing, scrap trading and a host of other options. Improved living standards The local self government will provide the enterprises with both technical and financial assistance to elevate the living standards of the HKS members and promote sustainable waste management practices. The KSWMP will extend non-repayable grants to two enterprises in each urban local body, with a total outlay of ₹24 crore earmarked for the initiative. The incubation of 93 enterprise units is already under way. At the function, the Minister handed out financial sanction letters to 19 approved Business Development Projects from Anthoor, Attingal, Varkala, Punalur, Adoor, Cherthala, Thodupuzha, Koothattukulam, Marad, Kodungallur, Guruvayur, Vadakkancherry, Pattambi, Palakkad, Perinthalmanna, Koyilandy, Mukkam, Sulthan Bathery and Neeleswaram municipalities.
Time of India
10-08-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Haritha Karma Sena of Edakkattuvayal panchayat becomes a model in solid waste management
Kochi: Haritha Karma Sena (HKS) members of Edakkattuvayal panchayat have become a model in solid waste management. Over the last fiscal year, they collected and processed 35 tonnes of waste from households and institutions in the panchayat, earning approximately Rs 80,000 in the process. Collection of inorganic waste is carried out by 23 HKSs across 14 wards in the panchayat. They spend 15 days each month collecting waste from homes and businesses, and remaining 15 days are dedicated to processing the collected waste. Waste collected through door-to-door collection is brought to a mini material collection facility and then handed over to Clean Kerala Company. Responsibilities of HKS extend beyond waste collection. They manage the swap shop initiated by the panchayat, where items like soap powder, chilli powder and coconut oil are made available to public at reduced rates. Additionally, inoculants for composting waste are available. Haritha Mitram app has been fully implemented. Panchayat president K R Jayakumar stated that efforts are ongoing to further activate green action force. Uniforms, badges and gloves have been distributed to them. Activities of green action force have been extended to all wards in the panchayat. Furthermore, an electric vehicle has been provided for the force. Jayakumar also mentioned that achieving 100% success in waste management is the goal. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Time of India
27-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
How 28 women from a small Kerala village turn rubbish into rupees 25,000 a month, and a greener future
In a quiet corner of northern Kerala, a group of 28 women are redefining environmental activism and women's empowerment, one bag, pot, and repaired LED bulb at a time. In the village of Kannapuram in Kannur district, the women of the Haritha Karma Sena (HKS) are leading a silent green revolution. Traditionally confined to waste collection and sanitation work, they have now become entrepreneurs, environmental stewards, and community leaders, turning trash into income, dignity, and climate-positive action. The HKS team has embraced upcycling and waste reduction in ingenious ways. Old clothes, collected from households, are repurposed into eco-friendly bags, home décor pots, and composting aids. Discarded LED bulbs are carefully restored and reused, and single-use plastics at weddings and functions are being replaced by rentable steel plates and glasses under their Haritha Mangalyam initiative. 'These activities not only reduce the village's carbon footprint, but also offer meaningful income to the women,' said Sujna M, Kannur District Resource Person for the Suchitwa Mission , speaking to PTI. The grassroots innovations have been so successful that the women's average monthly income has jumped from approximately Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000 since the project launched in October 2024. Live Events Headed by Nishita, the 28-member team operates across 14 wards, working in four clusters. They collect non-degradable waste from households within the first two weeks of the month. The remaining days are spent running micro-enterprises based on community orders. "Since starting these initiatives, our income has increased significantly. It's also rewarding to know we're helping both the environment and the local community,' said Nishita, who has been with HKS for six years. Items are affordably priced: eco-pots cost Rs 50–Rs 100, reusable bags are just Rs 5, and LED bulb repair services are offered for Rs 40 per unit. The repaired bulbs are either returned to households or used internally by the team. Beyond eco-products, HKS members also operate a profitable dishwashing and house-cleaning unit, further adding to their income and making them less reliant on the fees from waste collection alone. Training Behind Bars and in Classrooms Beyond just production, these women are educators. The HKS team has been invited to train students in schools, colleges, and even inmates at the central prison in Kannur, passing on their skills and vision for a greener future. "This initiative isn't just about income. It's about building confidence and showing that waste can be a resource when handled with creativity and responsibility," said Rathi, president of the Kannapuram Grama Panchayat. A Model for the State Kannapuram is one of five panchayats chosen for a pilot green initiative programme in Kannur district, along with Chapparapadavu, Payam, Kadirur, and Peralassery. These models aim to demonstrate how HKS-led initiatives can achieve complete waste management , reduce landfill burden, and lower emissions at the community level. 'Chapparapadavu, for instance, achieved total waste collection in just 10 days,' said Sujna. 'Now we're setting up organic waste collection units to convert kitchen waste into fertiliser for crops.' The Bigger Green Picture Kerala has increasingly embraced 'Haritha' (green) reforms across various sectors. Kannur district now boasts the first green-certified railway station and the first eco-conscious jail in the state. 'These HKS-led microenterprises give women a reliable, sustainable income during the half of the month when waste collection work is paused,' said Sujna. 'Due to the possibility of urgent assignments, they cannot take up regular jobs or even MGNREGA work. These in-house initiatives keep them engaged, empowered, and earning.' With participants aged between 37 and 65, the programme is proving that age is no barrier to innovation. Through sustainable practices and community-rooted enterprise, the women of Kannapuram are not only helping clean up their village, they're showing the rest of the state, and the country, how waste can be turned into worth. Inputs from PTI
