Pipe compost, a novel way to tackle waste menace

In an effort to find a solution to waste menace, the Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat has started promoting pipe composting in all the 230 gram panchayats since Oct 1.

The move was initiated under Swacch Bharath Mission. Already, 22,445 pipe composts have been installed in the district. Puttur taluk tops the list with 6,147 units followed by Bantwal-5,518 units, Belthangady-5,251 units, Sullia-3,121 units and Mangaluru-2,418 units. The units are installed free of cost in the households belonging to the SC/ST community members.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Alankar GP vice president Sudhakar Poojary said that the pipe composts would ensure the disposal of bio-degradable waste at the place where they were generated.

Land earmarked

“The residents can put their bio-degradable waste including leftover rice into the pipe installed for the purpose along with soil to cover the layer. One need to put little quantity of water and cow dung into it once in a week. Within three months, the waste turns into manure. Once the pipe is full, the manure could be used for farming or for plants. The Alankar gram panchayat has earmarked one acre of land to take up solid waste management unit under Grama Vikasa Yojana. We are planning to grow coconut trees on the available land after constructing the solid waste management unit,” he added.

Alankar gram panchayat PDO Jagannath Shetty said “this method is found to be suitable for urban houses as it occupies only a small space. There are no issues of stench. The method is easy and cost-effective. The users had to incur only the cost of the pipes. In case of the SC/ST communities, it is borne by the gram panchayat itself.”

In fact, in Jalsoor gram panchayat of Sullia taluk, a total of 823 pipe composts have been installed. Such composts have been installed not only in households but also in shops in the Jalsoor gram panchayat limits. Aryapu GP in Puttur, Laila in Belthangady, Balepuni in Bantwal and Kallamundkoor in Mangaluru taluks are also going head with the installation of pipe composts and thereby showing a way in the waste management.