The Manachanallur Town Panchayat in the outskirts of the city is successfully implementing a solid waste management programme to segregate degradable and non degradable waste and producing bio fertilizer.
The Town Panchayat with a population of 25,931 as per the 2011 Census currently produces three types of bio fertilizer – natural compost, vermi compost and compost prepared from chicken and food waste.
It also plans to go in for a bio-gas plant to produce energy from food waste and cow dung soon.
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The Town Panchayat, which got the ISO 9001:2008 certification in 2015 for its solid waste management practices, currently earns a revenue of ₹ 25,000 a year. “The money is ploughed back into the solid waste management programme and the self help groups engaged in implementing it,” said N. C. Parameswari, Executive Officer of the town panchayat.
The Town Panchayat on an average collects about 9,500 kg of solid waste every day. The solid waste is segregated into degradable and non-degradable waste at source. Of the total solid waste generated, about 5,750 kg are degradable and 750 kg non degradable waste. Silt accumulation from drains and other debris form the rest of the solid waste collected.
The Town Panchayat has set up a Compost Park where the solid waste is processed. Apart from its 25 sanitary workers, about 50 members of two self help groups are involved in the solid waste management programme.
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The park is equipped with infrastructure such as vermin compost plant, shredding machines and mechanical sieve. The bio-manure has been in good demand from farmers. A progressive farmer, Periyasamy has been purchasing the bio manure in bulk, say the town panchayat officials.
The Town Panchayat is also taken up bio-mining to produce bio-manure from the accumulated garbage over the years. The civic body has also raised trees and vegetables in the bio park, which also includes an artificial pond making it a play area for children. The proceeds from the vegetable garden are also given to the SHGs, according to Ms. Parameswari.
According to a district official, solid waste management programmes were being implemented in all 16 town panchayats in the district. About 66.96 tonnes of solid waste was being generated every day in the town panchayats and of this about 54.50 tonnes of bio-degradable waste were processed to produce bio manure.
Manachanallur, Musiri, Sirugamani, Thottiyam, Kattuputhur, Ponnampatti and Balakrishnampatti town panchayats are producing vermi compost also and others are expected to follow suit soon.