The Hindu       27.03.2017 

On-site composting yet to take off

More work needed:A view of the on-site composting unit at Anna Nagar Uzhavar Sandhai in Tiruchi.Photo: M. SrinathM_SRINATH  

The corporation has set up the unit at the Uzhavar Sandhai in Anna Nagar

The Tiruchi City Corporation, which had spearheaded its men and machines to score marks on various parameters of Swachh Bharat ranking till a few months ago, is now using its energy to spearhead its mission on popularising on-site composting, a latest concept of disposing perishable garbage at the source itself.

However, the on-site composting unit set up at Uzhavar Sandhai in Anna Nagar is yet to begin the process of converting waste into organic manure.

The compost unit was not just to dispose the garbage at source but also to demonstrate the method of vermi composting to the customers, who visit the Uzhavar Sandhai to buy vegetables and fruits daily.

The Tiruchi Corporation constructed two cement pits – one for storing and the other for producing enriched compost by letting earthworms. Each pit can store about 6 tonnes of solid waste such as disposed vegetable and rotten fruits.

As asked by the officials of agricultural marketing, one of the agencies in manning Uazhavar Sandhai, the vegetable vendors dumped the perishable waste in the pits for some days.

However, enquiries revealed that the process had been suspended due to lack of insufficient storage pits, poor planning and execution.

It is said that at least five pits are needed for producing manure. The garbage dumped in pits will have to be shifted to the next pit for once in a week for natural composting process. It will take four weeks for producing organic manure from the waste.

The fifth pit will be used for vermi compost process.

However, there are just two pits in the Uzhavar Sandhai.

Moreover, they are said to be very small in size. They are not even sufficient to store garbage generated in two days. Similarly, the cement floor laid on the pits is said to be causing bad smell.

“We have closed the garbage dumped in a pit to prevent bad smell. We need at least three more pits for a proper on-site composting. Till then, we cannot dump the garbage in the pits,” says an official of Agricultural Marketing that manage the Uzhavar Sandhai.

He said the issue had been brought to the knowledge of Tiruchi Corporation officials, who had promised to look into the issue.

“We want the on-site composting at Uzhavar Sandhai as a model. Steps will be taken with the support of line departments to set a proper unit. It will motivate the customers to replicate the model in their big establishments,” the official said.