Nearly 25 local bodies in Ernakulam district will soon introduce a smart garbage monitoring application to step up efficiency of waste collection and management.
They will be among the around 300 civic bodies to be shortlisted for implementing the initial roll-out of the automated waste management system in the State. A meeting of the district-level coordination committee will be held next week to select the local bodies.
Haritha Keralam Mission (HKM) is spearheading the execution of the project in association with Suchitwa Mission, Clean Kerala Company, and the Local Self-Government Department (LSGD).
“Keltron, which developed the software, will provide human resource support to the local bodies for the first six months. Stakeholders in waste management will be part of the digital platform,” said Sujith Karun, district co-ordinator, HKM.
The application will be available for free for the local bodies, as the Suchitwa Mission had provided financial aid to Keltron. The app offers a total solution from collection of waste to its disposal. The software will help in tracking waste collection by Haritha Karma Sena volunteers from each home. Waste generators can pay their user fee through the digital mode.
Relevant data for running the system will be integrated with the digital platform. Each house will be given a QR code. Members of each household can attach the QR code at the entrance to the house.
Green volunteers engaged in waste collection will scan the code using their mobiles. Data on the quantity of waste collected and the user fee remitted by users will be uploaded to the centralised system. Besides keeping track of the collection process, the app will help users raise complaints, if any, about shortcomings in waste collection from households.
The complaints will be transferred online to officials of civic bodies for follow-up action. Citizens can also alert instances of dumping or burning of waste in violation of rules to the authorities.
