THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Soon, you will just be a tap away from a sustainable solution for your food waste woes when the city corporation launches its automated food waste collection mechanism. The civic body intends to bring licensing for waste management agencies which transport food from hotels and institutions. Once this system comes into place, only licensed agencies will be allowed to transport and manage waste. The food waste management system will be facilitated online, along the lines of the septage waste management system the civic body has recently put in place.
"License will be given to agencies well equipped to manage waste scientifically. Those who dispose waste carelessly are being caught and penalised. Now the message has been sent across that unauthorised disposal of waste will be dealt stringently and violators will be punished. So agencies are ready to take license," says Mayor V K Prasanth.
He said as many as 19 agencies have come forward seeking a license and if found equipped with facilities for proper management of waste, the license will be issued. "Moreover, vehicles to transport waste must adhere to several parameters," he said.
Earlier, the civic body had conducted a study wherein the waste management techniques of various agencies were analysed. It was observed that out of the 20 plus agencies, around 15 process waste scientifically. "Some transport the waste to pig farms while the rest compost it. There are agencies who can manage dry waste while others can't. The facility was inspected by our team by visiting the waste management centres. A detailed report on the study carried out by the team was submitted," a corporation official said.
Parameters for the vehicle
Vehicles should be equipped with GPS and should be colour-coded. The workforce should wear a uniform, the vehicle should be covered and only drums should be used for transporting waste. Moreover, the agencies can only collect waste from the wards they have been assigned.
How it works
Waste management is facilitated through an online platform using the Smart Trivandrum App. The organisation can place the request via the app and a health officer will visit the client, take stock of the quantity of waste that needs to be processed and decide the user fee. 90 per cent of the user fee will go to the waste management agency while 10 per cent will go to the corporation as administration charges. The user fee is prepaid.
Applicable to events
Food waste management can also be availed for events such as weddings. But the event should adhere to the Green Protocol. "Only then will the waste be collected. The same process of registration is followed for them too, but it will be a one-time registration," a corporation official said.
With its recently launched septage waste management system turning into a success, the corporation is slated to extend it to food waste management agencies as well. The corporation council on Tuesday cleared the proposal