Chennai: After several years of delay and dilly-dallying, Chennai corporation on Saturday fulfilled its long-pending promise of recycling the biodegradable waste into manure. Interestingly, in a first-of-its-kind, the corporation officials on Saturday sold 150 kilos of manure after successfully processing 1.5 tonnes of green waste. The eco-friendly initiative taken up last year in Teynampet zone was conducted in three corporation burial grounds by collecting the waste from the public. Though the three-bin-policy to collect green waste, recyclable waste and non-biodegradable waste started in the households had not become successful, the local markets and restaurants had given a boost to the solid waste management plan in the Teynampet zone.
“We process close to one tonne bio-degradable waste every day in the compost yards situated in Nungambakkam, Mylapore and Triplicane. We had set up 44 cement tanks for the procedure,” said an official from Teynampet zone. Having processed the waste in the compost yard set up in the burial grounds in three localities, the corporation officials, had sold 150 kilos of manure to the public at Marina Beach.
“Forty-four cement tanks were set in the three burial grounds. Two tanks were set in each of the 18 wards in the Teynampet zone for the same,” added the official. The corporation was earlier utilising the manure for the parks and the avenue trees in the city. “We had supplied 100 grams of manure for free to the public at Marina beach. As it received a good response, we are now selling each kilo for Rs 20,” the official mentioned.
The civic body will begin the sales of the manure in all the 15 zones if the waste collection exce-eds from the households. “We could collect only one tonne each day from Teynampet zone, of which only 100 kilos of manure could be generated. If the households start using the three bins in an effective way, much could be done,” the official opined.
