In a city that generates 5,000 tonnes of waste every day and witnesses numerous complaints about irresponsible disposal of garbage, there are isolated cases where waste is viewed as a blessing. The more it is generated, the more welcome it is. On Gandhi Nagar Second Main Road, waste is indeed seen as a blessing. A temple is at the centre of a community-supported initiative to prevent waste from reaching landfills. Enthusiastic residents of the area, environment-conscious volunteers and devotees of Gandhi Nagar Sri Anantha Padmanabha Swamy generate compost at a ringed structure in the place of worship. And how! They use flower waste generated at the temple to make compost, which then goes into growing organic vegetables for patients at Cancer Institute. Initiated by temple devotees Nirmala Santhanam and Shona Santhanam, a team comprising Kavitha Ramakrishnan, Archana Meiyappan and Priya Gopalen started this exemplary work in 2015.
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“At least 3,000 devotees offer flowers, tulsi, and garlands every day. We generate compost from such waste. The government should adopt such practices in the thousands of temples that are found across the State,” said A. N. Srinivasa Rao of the Temple Management.
“Residents of an apartment complex in Kasturba Nagar collect fallen leaves from the trees and plants around the building and give it to us. We use it as dry matter in the compost bin,” said Kavitha.
Last April, we generated about 150 kg of compost and supplied it to grow plants at the garden in Cancer Institute. Over 1,000 kg of compost has been generated so far. A group of volunteers prevents devotees from throwing plastic waste in the compost bin. “We need more volunteers. Preventing devotees from polluting the bin continues to be a challenge,” said Kavitha. In addition to a dedicated space to set up the bins, a bottom layer of cocopeat or leaves and cow dung slurry is being used for the composting process.
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Even as the temple management is promoting the green initiative, a section of the devotees is reportedly throwing plastic into the compost bin. “Some people think it is a garbage bin. We are trying to create awareness,” said Kavitha.