A ‘green army’ has cleaned up a major chunk of the e-waste piled up across Kothamangalam over the last three days.
Over 300 students of the M.A. College of Engineering have collected close to three tonnes of e-waste from the nook and corner of the municipality as part of their efforts to make it an e-waste-free local body. The initiative, which began on Friday, concluded on Sunday.
“We visited 31 wards in the municipality and collected several e-waste that included tube lights, CFL lamps, washing machines, computer, picture tubes, ovens, refrigerators to name a few,” said Jai M. Paul, programme co-ordinator of the National Service Scheme and faculty member of the Department of Civil Engineering.
The e-waste collected from the wards will be handed over to the Clean Kerala Company, a government agency implementing various projects to make the State waste-free.
Mr. Paul said the company would provide Rs.25 per kilo for the waste collected by the students.
“We plan to utilise the money for constructing a house for an economically-backward student as part of the home for the homeless initiative on the campus,” he said.
Clean Kerala Company officials said its strategy to earn money from waste had turned a major hit.
Several educational institutions had joined the agency in collecting e-waste from various parts of Ernakulam district.
The company also ensures the safe transport of the e-waste to recycling units outside the State.
