The Hariyali Haritha Karma Sena of Vadakara Municipality earned around ₹3.7 lakh in 2020-21 through the sale of shredded plastic used for road tarring. The women who are part of the Sena can differentiate between around 30 different varieties of plastic and segregate waste accordingly.
P. Prakashan, district coordinator of Haritha Keralam Mission (HKM), lauded the change brought in by the group of 63 women in just a few years, which led to the municipality winning several awards for waste management.
Mr. Prakashan was in Vadakara on April 9 as part of a reality audit of the waste management programmes in various local bodies in the district. Post-COVID, the waste management system had crumbled in most local bodies. He was accompanied by officials of the Town Planning Department and Suchitwa Mission and resource persons from HKM.
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They felt that the administration and management of Hariyali was not less competent than any corporate company. “They have their own office, computer and up-to-date registers. All money transactions are through a bank accounts, except user fee collected from houses and shops in the town. Office details are all computerised,” Mr. Prakashan said, adding that the professional approach to waste management was what made Hariyali different.
Hariyali has also ventured into several sectors, one being a green consultancy giving technical guidance. Besides seven local bodies in Kozhikode district (Ramanattukara, Maniyur, Thiruvallur, Ayancheri, Arikkulam, and Keezhariyur, Hariyali is now a green consultancy to Pattazhi, Thalavur, Vadakkekara, Pathanapuram, Kizhakkudi, Piravanthur, Vettikkavala, Kulakkada, Melila, Mailam, Pavithreshwaram and Ummannur grama panchayats in Kollam district. It has also ventured into the tourism sector, managing the Vadakara municipal park and sand banks.
“It is not just about waste management. Hariyali is an excellent model for women empowerment too. The personality change and the confidence in each of its members is commendable,” Mr. Prakashan said, appreciating the role of Manalil Mohanan, the brain behind the success of Hariyali.
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The reality audit will continue in the coming days. A team of officials will conduct inspections in Kozhikode district till April 15. They will analyse the functioning of waste management system in each local body including that of the Haritha Karma Senas, material recovery facility, and material collection facilities. The hygiene status conferred on local bodies will also be audited.