Unique start-up generates employment opportunities

This unique start-up is not only diverting some solid waste, which otherwise, would have gone to landfill, is also generating employment.

Within eight months after its launch, city-based ‘Mangala Resource Management Private Limited (MRMPL),’ as many as 17 apartments have embraced the concept of ‘community composting’ to achieve the goal of zero wet waste to landfill.

MRMPL Managing Director Dilraj Alva told DH that individual flat owners enrolling in “Our Waste, Our Responsibility Campaign,” are paying Rs 1,000 (refundable in the third year) and paying Rs five per day. In return, each flat will receive two free bins. “Every morning, the flat owner hands over the wet waste to the MRMPL staff and returns with another empty bin. The wet waste is turned into compost under the pot composting method,” informs Alva.

Swami Ekagamyananda, convener of Ramakrishna Mission’s Swach Mangaluru campaign, says nearly 450 flats in 16 apartments are involved in converting tonnes of wet waste into some useful compost. Nearly 65 apartments have contacted MRMPL with a desire to be involved in community composting. “If all 30,000 flat owners in 1,500 apartments join the community composting campaign, the garbage being dumped in Pachhanaday dumping yard will be reduced by 30 to 40 tonnes and more youth will be gainfully employed,” he says.

Many apartment associations would join the campaign only if the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) acts tough against them (bulk waste generators), informs Alva. The MRMPL, undeterred by the roadblocks, has initiated a pilot project of collecting dry waste also.