The doorstep collection of food waste in Kalamassery municipality, which had been suspended for over a week, resumed on Monday (January 20).

The crisis was resolved after the civic body assigned a new agency to handle the scientific disposal of waste collected from households across various wards. The Alappuzha-based agency will collect the waste from the municipality’s storage centre and dispose of it according to prescribed norms. The civic body will pay the agency a fee of ₹4.48 per kilo, including GST. A team of councillors who visited the agency’s food waste treatment facility at Kanjirappally expressed satisfaction with its operations.

The doorstep collection was disrupted after the previous agency halted its services, citing non-payment of pending dues. Municipality authorities clarified that the delay was reportedly due to the agency submitting false bills for its services.

The uncertainty over food waste collection has led to illegal dumping in open spaces. The authorities pointed out that they would closely monitor the waste management practices of the new agency.