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All about community composting

K.V. Prasad

IT IS WEALTH: Councillors at a workshop in Coimbatore. — Photo: S. Siva Saravanan

COIMBATORE: Six women Councillors, three each from Coimbatore and Salem Corporation, have a common fear on waste management - public response. At a workshop on home or community composting, they realise that such de-centralised methods are an answer to problems faced in centralised methods such as a common yard of a local body where tonnes of waste lie rotting.

By the turn of next week, the Councillors may have taken to their respective localities or wards some valuable lessons in de-centralised waste management, imparted to them here by Tamil Nadu Institute of Urban Studies (TNIUS) as part of a larger programme for empowerment of elected women representatives.

Waste management expert and former Director (Training) of Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) A. Subash explains segregation at source and the process of turning biodegradable waste into manure. Stressing home composting to serve as an inspiration to the rest of the community, Mr. Subash outlines the process of the waste turning into manure and how it fetches an income.

"It looks simple when explained properly," says Coimbatore Corporation Councillor, M. Kanakamani pointing out that so far awareness on specific methods had not been created. Rajasekari Visumaran from Salem Corporation sounds confident she can initiate this process back home. "You begin this in your own home first. The others will follow," Mr. Subash tells them. Pointing out that the major impediment in the approach to waste management is attitude, he observes: "You people dump these waste as separate articles with your own hands. After they accumulate, you hate to touch them for segregation and composting. This attitude has to change."

The Deputy Director of TNUIS D. Karthikeyan says the Councillors are keen to know about the various methods of waste disposal.

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