Vermicompost: MCC gift on World Environment Day?

Defunct unit at Old Kesare being revived; set to function under PPP

The defunct compost making unit at Old Kesare, on the outskirts is all set for revival under Public-Private- Partnership (PPP) model, according to highly placed sources in Mysore City Corporation (MCC). The unit that had stopped functioning for years, will make a restart. Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (ILFS), a private firm that has made a name in the realm across the nation, is all likely to be entrusted with the task.

The same firm has been successfully producing natural compost, at the similar plant at Sewage Farm in Vidyaranyapuram.

The unit waiting for a make over at Old Kesare is spread over seven acres of land.
No sooner, the previous agency, that was handling the task of producing vermicompost completed its term, the unit had been lying unused. Subsequently, the power supply had been disconnected.

 In what could be viewed as a prelude to revive the facility, the city corporation has cleared the arrears towards electricity. The power is expected to be restored enabling it’s functioning at least within a fortnight.

From waste

In all probability, vermicompost will be generated from the waste collected here, against natural compost at the unit in Sewage Farm. The tanks on the premises already built using cement bricks will be repaired to suit the plans ahead, sources added.

More thrust is being laid on, diverting the waste collected in nearby wards to this unit. In all, about four to five tonnes of waste is expected to be collected per day. As is the process, the waste collected will be segregated as dry and wet and will be shredded using a machine, to be installed shortly.

The pieced waste will be filled into the tanks and worms will be let into it, before covering the same.

The worms who feed on the refuse, produce waste in the form of a powder-compost. Of the garbage collected, only 30 per cent could be turned into compost.  

According to the information available, nearly 400 tonnes of waste is daily collected in the
city- that includes door-to-door collection of garbage, markets, marriage halls and others. However, only 50 per cent of the waste turns into compost at Sewage Farm.

With this, the zero waste management, that has been helping local body to turn waste into useful produce, will get another leap.