Thripunithura Municipality has started a new waste management exercise with an army of Haritha Sena workers, two persons in each of the 49 wards.

This is to collect only inorganic waste — plastic and other inorganic refuse and e-waste — and to ensure that each household has some arrangement for waste management.

O.V. Salim, vice chairman of the municipality, said that a system had been arranged to collect plastic waste from wards once a month and other inorganic refuse and e-waste once in three months. Most residents were cooperating with the municipality for the project, Mr. Salim said.

With the government implementing plastic ban, the municipality could not utilise its own fund for plastic waste management, said Mr. Salim. So it was decided to charge ₹100 from each household to keep the project going.

Thripunithura Rajanagari Union of Residents’ Association, while welcoming the move by the municipality, said in a press release that the authorities should have held discussions with residents on fixing the rate.

“There are always some people who may not participate in the exercise,” said V. C. Jayendran, convener of the association.