The South Central Railway (SCR), as part of its eco-friendly measures, installed organic waste composting machines at Hyderabad and Kazipet stations - both are sponsored by Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative. Each machine is of 50-kg capacity costing around ₹2.15 lakh.
Waste produced at stations includes garden waste, street sweeping, canteen waste, kitchen waste and plastics papers. This is segregated into ‘organic waste’ and ‘inorganic waste’ which is normally handed over to the local municipality for further disposal from their end.
Organic waste is generated from the waste composting machine is processed into manure, which can be used in the gardens of the stations itself to ensure zero waste management at the stations. Awareness is being created among the railway colony residents and the public on railway premises to segregate waste and help in disposal of garbage as per norms. The inorganic dry waste is transported to municipal authorities.
The waste composting machine provided at Hyderabad station was inaugurated by IOC executive director R.S.S. Rao, executive director and Head for TS & AP in the presence of additional divisional railway manager D. Subramanyam and other railway officials, a press release said.