Around 1,000 kilograms of e-waste were collected from the flood-hit regions of Ernakulam on Wednesday as part of an ongoing drive by the district administration and the Haritha Keralam Mission.
The e-waste will undergo scientific processing, according to officials.
The collection of e-waste began at Vadakkekara grama panchayat in North Paravur on Wednesday morning. The volunteers later visited Kottuvally and Chendamangalam. The articles collected include televisions, washing machines, refrigerators, laptops, desktops, printers, and mobiles. The owners had apparently discarded them after attempts to repair them had failed.
The other agencies that participated in the initiative included Suchitwa Mission, local bodies, G.J. Nature Care, and Clean Kerala Company. The first phase of the drive will focus on the worst-hit places in Aluva and North Paravur taluks.
Some areas identified for collection in Paravur and Parakkadavu block panchayats include Ezhikkara, Chittatukara, Sreemoolanagaram, Puthenvelikkara, Chengamanad, Nedumbassery, Parakkadavu, and Kunnukara.
In the second phase, e-waste will be collected from areas under the North Paravur municipality, Alangad block panchayat, Karumaloor, Varappuzha, and Kadungallur. Officials of the Haritha Keralam Mission said they would ensure the scientific collection, transportation and disposal of e-waste.
Meanwhile, local bodies are cooperating with the district administration in the venture by taking e-waste to common collection points in various municipalities and panchayats.
Waste materials will be collected by GJ Nature Care and Clean Kerala Company and transported to material collection facilities by lorries.
Officials said students and instructors of ITIs in Ernakulam, Malappuram, and Kannur had already visited hundreds of flood-hit homes to carry out a wide range of works like electrical cable repair, plumbing, and carpentry.
A 25-member team of instructors and students from ITIs in Odisha are touring various flood-hit regions in the district to carry out electrical, plumbing, refrigeration and air-conditioning work and carpentry. The team comprises 15 students and 10 instructors from ITIs in Phulbani, Cuttack, Gajabahal, Berhampur, and Purusottampur.