The Hindu 14.09.2010
‘Bio mining' garbage for compost
V.Geetanath
| Firm dredges into an estimated 45 lakh tonnes garbage to create bio-fertilizer |
Green enterprise: Garbage dumped over a period of two decades converted into bio-compost.
HYDERABAD: After garbage dumping was halted, few would have bothered about Autonagar in L.B.Nagar, the old dump site for municipal solid waste.
While methods to cap the near 47-acre site have been in the air, the accumulated waste is being put to good use.
An enterprising entrepreneur's firm has been incessantly dredging into portions of estimated 45 lakh tonnes garbage dumped over a period of two decades to convert it into bio-compost. Bhavani Bio-Organics Pvt. Ltd. has been making the compost for use in agriculture enriching the soil with vital nutrients in a first of its kind exercise anywhere.
“Bio-mining” happens when compacted garbage is injected with air through perforated pipes and microbes with constant tossing and turning for a few days to convert it into the mineral rich compost.
“I started from scratch as there was no proven technology, product development, manufacturing assistance, subsidy…nothing,” says N.L.V.J. Naresh Kumar, Managing Director, Bhavani Bio-Organics Pvt. Ltd. Hailing from a family of entrepreneurs, he was dabbling in stocks before venturing into garbage management with support from persons like noted environment activist Almitra Patel and others.
“We fabricated our own machinery, improved the process and the product too through trail and error,” he smiles.
The products were tested in farm varsity labs before being marketed. His firm (www.bhavanibio.in; bhavanibio@gmail.com) is the first company in the country to have obtained license under the Fertiliser Control Order of the Central Government to enable it to be sold in all fertilizer outlets. Eight unique blends are being manufactured to suit different soils and crops.
“The demand is pretty high but farmers have difficulty in acquiring enough organic matter at suitable prices and in sufficient quantities,” says Mr. Kumar. If top fertilizer companies were buying the products over the years, Nagarjuna Fertilizers & Chemicals Limited (NFCL) has recently picked up a five per cent stake in his firm.
Now, the Autonagar plant is poised for capacity expansion.
The entire garbage has been compacted to reduce fires, and foul smell was reduced after steps were taken to drain out the leachate.
The plant running with a capacity of 120-300 tones a day has no water connection and runs on generators because of default on previous power bills by the Municipal Corporation. GHMC's license period is for five years only and the firm is seeking extension for 15 years by which time, it expects to clean up Autonagar completely and make it habitable.
The firm recently started a plant at Pune and has plans to operate in 11 other cities too.
