Kochi: Service charges for the Haritha Karma Sena, which collects biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste, will likely be increased. LSGD has approved the guidelines regarding this. 

According to the new guidelines, more money will be collected from institutions if the amount of bio-degradable waste increases. For collecting biodegradable waste from households and institutions, a minimum charge of Rs 7 per kilogram has been set. Depending on the location, local bodies may set a higher rate than this. There is also a suggestion to collect arrears from those who do not pay the user fee, similar to how property tax is collected. Since, some confusions remain to be resolved regarding the guidelines, it would be revised to bring more clarity. 

It is believed that setting only a minimum rate for the user fee and leaving the rights to set higher rates to local bodies could lead to a significant increase in fees. A new guideline, which includes fixed higher rates, will likely be released soon.

New Guidelines

The new guidelines were issued recently by the department to ensure better livelihoods for the Haritha Karma Sena members. As of now,  the user fee for the collection of non-biodegradable waste from institutions is Rs 100 per month. According to the new guidelines issued on November 13, institutions with large amounts of waste will be charged Rs 100 a month for up to five sacks (each sack measuring 65x80 cm). After that, an additional Rs 100 will be charged for each sack. Local bodies can set rates based on the geographical characteristics of each area.

Meanwhile, the current rates for collecting non-biodegradable waste from households will remain unchanged: Rs 50 per month in panchayats and Rs 70 per month in municipalities. The new guidelines also suggest calculating the user fee for collecting biodegradable waste based on weight. Accordingly, the minimum charge for biodegradable waste will be set at Rs 7 per kilogram. Local bodies may set higher rates depending on the specific characteristics of the area.

It will be the responsibility of local bodies to ensure that the Haritha Karma Sena  receives the user fee. For those who fall behind on monthly user fees, it is suggested that arrears should be collected in the same manner as in collecting pending property tax. According to this suggestion, local bodies will also have the authority to charge interest on the arrears as well.