My Waste is My Responsibility: Gandhian Waste Management

(I have the pleasure of hosting S. Chandrasekharan Nair as a Guest Writer on my blog. Chandrasekharan is a unique man. He is a prolific blogger (http://keralafarmeronline.com)who blogs fluidly in three languages—English, Hindi, Malayalam. More importantly he is an ex-serviceman turned organic farmer who blogs. He blogs early morning before he leaves to take care of his farm and blogs when he returns. 

This 63-year-old man also uses facebook and twitter with amazing ease and regularity. His blog as him contains not merely words, but words born out of the truth of tilling and out of the anger over the wrong doings in the Rubber Plantation area.

He used to call me early morning and I used to be vexed at his calls. But over a period of time, as I watch his consistency, his focus, his drive, his earnestness—I realize with all my skills in good writing, I cannot compare to the extent to which his writings and works are translatable into action. If you are on twitter do follow him @keralafarmer)

Stinking capital city (of Kerala) sinking to an infamous  “dirt’s own country “ for the first time in the history of the state (Kerala), points to a grave situation the modernity faces today as they blink to development. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC have been clamped in the city in view of the alarming rise in health issues and dengue cases. Around 620 Dengue cases have been confirmed in Thiruvananthapuram so far. Outbreak of fever has also been reported in 43 wards of the total 100 wards. Once it rains the capital city will shiver and shudder with the monsoon ailments. The accumulating waste on the pavements, roadsides and rivers and alienated city corners is a huge stinking problem.

It sure points to crumbling of social ethics and inefficiency of the ruling. Civic sense clubbed with proper waste management is a solution to save the environment and to check the emerging  health problems. It leads to peace among the people. Organic waste (almost 51%) in city garbage including sewage waste can be converted in to valuable organic manure which will indirectly sustain agriculture in the state.

Thumburmuzhy Model of Composting

Dr. Francis Xavier of KVASU

Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University(KVASU), has developed a  Gandhian waste management system  “Thumburmuzhy model”that has become highly successful among farmers of the state and community housing systems  in Thrissur. This model is lauded by the Climate control group of UNDP. Thumburmuzhy model is developed by Prof. Francis Xavier and   is cost-effective and eco-friendly and not labour intensive. The lesser carbon dioxide and methane emissions make it the best and ideal one. Rapid development and urbanization, constant change in consumption pattern, social behavior and uncivil attitude had a great role on waste dumping which is difficult to manage.

Composting is the natural process of rotting or decomposition of organic matter by microorganisms under controlled conditions. Aerobic composting in the presents of oxygen with low methane emission without bad smell at high heat generated condition aiding rapid decomposition and lower salinity. This unit which is becoming the darling of decentralised waste management includes a box-like structure with ferro-cement floor, layers of cow dung, dry leaves or straw or haw or shredded paper as carbon source and organic house waste and other farm waste are subjected to composting in presence of oxygen, which renders it foul smell free. It is not labour intensive and hence ideal for the social milieu of Kerala.  

Aerobic composting takes place in the presence of ample oxygen. Temperature rises rapidly in the waste. In this process the temperature rises to 70 to 80 Degree Celsius. This peak temperature kills the pathogens and weed seeds. This also means that there is no fly menace or odour. Every organic waste can be utilized as a raw material for the compost making and every material are put in compost with the layers of dung.

Thumburmuzhy Model

Imitations and modifications of the Thumburmuzhy Model of composting waste, which uses microbes isolated from cow dung, is catching up like fire all across the state. Already a hit in its place of birth at Thrissur, the method is slowly becoming a hit not just in Northern Kerala, but also in the Capital city (of Kerala) which is crippled by a non-functional huge investment garbage treatment plants.

How To Compost

A rectangle structure 4'x4'x4' should be built using bricks on a cement floor leaving gaps for air in between. While its width should be restricted to four feet, height can vary. A roof is required to prevent the structure from getting wet. Once the structure is ready, fresh cow dung up to 6 inches in height should be laid on the floor. Over this any kind of biodegradable waste, including livestock waste, can be spread. But here too the height should be limited to six inches. This should again be topped with cow dung. This process can be continued till the structure gets completely filled. The plant can be set up for only Rs 8,500 and there is zero production of methane or odour. The energy produced due to bacterial growth creates 75 degree centigrade inside the plant, which prevents fly breeding. Dr. Francis Xavier have worked on Thumburmuzhy model and added a farmer’s version to it.

Keralafarmer's Compost Model

The modified version of this plant by me is the cost-effective one, just for Rs 1,800 with the guidance of Dr. Francis Xavier. While KVASU used microbes naturally seen in cow dung, my source of microbes has been the slurry from the bio-gas plant. The sewage is also connected to the biogas plant. This has a two-fold advantage that the compost will give a manure with perfectly balanced nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium content while the slurry is high in nitrogen. When the waste is piled up, the temperature rises in the pile and the high temperature is maintained for a week. The decomposed waste settles down and the manure can be taken out within 12-15 weeks. There is no slurry and there is no seepage either. My version is more farmer-friendly.

Keralafarmer Model

Let us remind the capital dwellers that the waste they generate lavishly adds to their responsibility to maintain a clean Capital: "waste from flats, markets, hotels, commercial complexes and slaughter houses can be treated in it by protecting the environment".

You may also like to read an associated post "Why is My India Dirty?"