The Samriddhi Foundation, along with the civic exnora, organised an
awareness programme on ‘My waste is my responsibility’ at Vivekanantha
Street in North T Nagar. The street’s residents, including the children,
attended the programme on waste segregation and composting.

The
senior-most member in the area, M Srinivasa Rao (92) was enthusiastic
about the awareness programme. “Garbage disposal is a big problem not
only in India but all over the world,” he said and added that every
person at home is important in waste management. “Small things put
together make a big impact in society.”

N Sriram, managing trustee
of the Samriddhi Foundation, talked about the method of segregating
garbage to ensure that they are recycled effectively or disposed of
properly. “If organic waste doesn’t mix with plastic, the value of the
plastic waste goes up. Segregation at the source of waste generation is
the biggest service to society,” he said.

He also informed the
residents that 60 per cent of waste generated in Chennai everyday is bio
waste. “The Corporation spends Rs 2,600 per ton of waste to take it to
landfills. We ourselves have to find a solution for waste management. If
we take the steps, the municipality is ready to invest in it,” he
added.

Meenakshi Sriram from Samriddhi Foundation explained the
waste management techniques that she had implemented in her apartment.
She demonstrated solutions for treating organic waste at home and simple
methods of composting. “We will have to initiate the practice of waste
management. The children will just catch on,” she said.

The
Samriddhi Foundation is working with the government to set up community
compost facilities in North T Nagar to put organic wastes to better use.
For more details on waste management implementation, visit
www.samriddhilife.com.