The Hindu             04.11.2013

Waste treatment plant turns a profitable venture here

The workers at the biodegradable waste treatment plant at the Kumily grama panchayat at Murikkady in Idukki district.– Photo: By Special Arrangement

The biodegradable waste treatment plant at Murikkady, started in 2009, has become a permanent source of income for the workers employed here. It has a vermicompost unit producing manure. The Clean Kumily and Green Kumily Society, which paved the way for setting up the plant, is making an income of Rs. 60,000 per month through the sale of manure and collection of waste.

“In fact, the waste collection was started on a small scale in 2006 but after the formation of the society the plant provided a solution to manage all the biodegradable waste generated  in the Kumily grama panchayat,” said the society manager Aisy Prasanth.

Great demand

Currently, the plant employs 20 workers. The manure produced at the plant is in great demand, especially among the cardamom planters.The manager said it took at least 90 days for the vermicompost unit to produce manure from the waste. She added that at times the society was not able meet the demand from the buyers.

A-grade manure is sold at a rate of Rs.6 per kg and the second grade is sold at Rs.3 per kg. She said the product was popular among farmers since cow dung was also added to the manure.

The society charges Rs.150 -Rs.3, 000 for the collection of waste depending on the quantity. The workers collect waste from hotels, resorts, vegetable shops and even from the venue of a function such as a marriage.

They also collect waste from household units in areas where more number of people are staying.

The society’s executive committee has representatives from the business community, the police, the Periyar Tiger Reserve and the agriculture office. 

The grama panchayat president is the chairman of the society.

The Times of India              01.11.2013

NMC employees to get curtailed bonus by March

NASIK: The Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) on Thursday said the curtailed amount in the Diwali ex-gratia amounting to Rs. 2,000 is now to be deposited in the accounts of municipal employees by March end.

The decision to this effect was taken by the municipal commissioner Sanjay Khandare following meeting with the city mayor Yatin Wagh, the chairman of the standing committee of NMC Ramesh Dhongade and other officials on Thursday.

Earlier, the Municipal Municipal commissioner Sanjay Khandare on Wednesday had announced Rs 11,111 as Diwali ex-gratia for NMC employees, rejecting the elected representatives' proposal of Rs 13,111 as the amount on the ground of financial constraints.

The city mayor Yatin Wagh said, "I had meeting with the municipal commissioner Sanjay Khandare to revise his decision of giving Diwali ex-gratia amount as decided earlier by the civic body. Considering the financial condition of municipal corporation, it has been decided give curtailed ex-gratia amount of Rs. 2,000 to municipal employees by March end."

Mayor Yatin Wagh had revised the ex-gratia amount to Rs 13,111 from his initial announcement of Rs 11,111 on October 23 after the opposition party leaders demanded the revision and stormed out of a meeting. Wagh later sent the proposal to the municipal commissioner. But after a meeting with the officials of the accounts department, the commissioner cut down the ex-gratial to Rs. 11,100 for each employee.