The Manachanallur Town Panchayat near here is showing the way for other local bodies with respect to solid waste management.
The local body has converted its compost yard into a beautiful park and a production centre of vermi compost.
The town panchayat generates 9.5 tonnes of solid waste every day. Collected by women’s self-help groups and carried in lorries, they are dumped at the yard of 14.55 acres.
Segregation into biodegradable waste and non-degradable waste is done in the yard. While biodegradable waste is used for preparing vermi compost, non-degradable waste such as plastics are separated and given for laying roads.
A park has been established. Vegetables like Lady’s finger, tomato, brinjal, and chillies are grown in the park.
Vermi compost is prepared using earthworms in a separate hut and sold. “About 150 kg of vermi compost is prepared every day and sold at Re. one a kilo,” said G. Srinivasan, Executive officer of the town panchayat.
A pond has been created in which ducks wade their way enthralling the audience.
Jayashree Muralidharan, District Collector, who visited the park on Thursday, asked the town panchayat officials to introduce segregation of waste at the source.
Mr. Srinivasan said Rs. 11 lakh had been allotted by the government to purchase 750 buckets (green in colour) and white bags. These will be given to people and biodegradable waste would be segregated in the green bag and non-biodegradable waste in white bag.
