Subsidy for waste plants a boost to Corp, CREDAI

KOCHI: The subsidy announced by the state government for setting up waste treatment units in apartment complexes will strengthen the efforts of the Kochi Corporation and the CREDAI Clean City movement to make Kochi the first city with such units in all residential buildings.Earlier, the subsidy was limited only to the households in panchayats. Last week, the government decided to extend the scheme to the residential complexes under the corporation limits as well. Consequently, each apartment complex will be allotted a minimum of `15,000 for setting up waste treatment units. Apartment complexes which have more than 20 flats will be allotted `500 for each flat. The cost for setting up a  bio bin unit is `50,254. One unit can cater to the needs of an apartment complex.“Though the government had announced the subsidy, it is yet to take a decision regarding the disbursement of the funds. However, the subsidy will help encourage the remaining flat owners to take the initiative to install units in their residential complexes,” CREDAI Clean City Movement executive director Jose Joseph Moonjely told Express.So far the CREDAI has succeeded in installing advanced bio bins for the treatment of waste materials in 348 buildings in the district. “We have installed units in 116 flat complexes in Kochi. If we can cover 80 more flats, Kochi will become the first city in India to have waste treatment units installed in all residential complexes,” Jose said.The CREDAI is expecting the support of the corporation in this regard. “We expect the civic body to act in the wake of the court order banning the disposal of waste in public places. They should serve notices on the residential complexes which do not have waste treatments units,” he said.As part of the decentralised waste management system, the CREDAI also plans to introduce bio digester pots in individual households. “The government is providing 75 per cent of the total cost as subsidy for bio digester units. The cost of a single unit is `1,500. We are planning to organise awareness campaigns on this,” he said.