Tirupati: Compost machines clear 10 tonnes of waste

TIRUPATI: The municipal corporation has installed two on-site compost machines in Tirupati in July end. These machines are meant to convert vegetable waste to organic fertiliser. The machines cost Rs 7.9 lakh each and were installed in the vegetable market and Indira Priyadarshini Ground. Around 500 kg of vegetable waste is being treated by the machines for the past 20 days. About 10 tonnes of the waste has been converted into three tonnes of organic fertiliser.

The machine shreds the waste and sends it to the blower where it will be mixed with enzyme oil and converted into compost. The enzyme oil costs around '300 for 10 kg. The power consumption won’t be high as the machine runs for 15 minutes every hour and 250 gram of enzyme oil is used which costs Rs 8 per day. The corporation plans to sell the compost for Rs 20 per kg. 

“We use to throw rotten vegetables in the dustbins or on the roads. Now, we are feeding it to the machines,” said K. Ramachandra a vendor. Mr B. Chandra Sekhar, deputy executive engineer, said, “We plan to install these machines in other areas as well. We want them to be installed in hotels and industries where food waste is high. Apart-ments can also purchase them.”