SDMC sanitation staff and president of Dwarka Forum speak to residents about composting cage in Ekta society, Sector 3, on Friday.
In a bid to foster solid waste management in Dwarka, South Delhi Municipal Corporation has decided to promote community composting and begin distributing composting cages to societies.
On Friday, a composting cage was given to Ekta society in Sector 3. Madhuri Varshney, president of Dwarka Forum and a resident of Ekta society, said, “Our society got its first cage from SDMC as a pilot project. We thank team SDMC, Najafgarh zone, for its support and are hopeful that in the near future, problems due to horticulture and kitchen waste will be controlled.”
According to SDMC officials, an aerobic composting system will be used, as it is reasonable in terms of cost and workmanship.
AS Chatwal, vice-president of Dwarka Forum and general secretary of the Sector 8 RWA, said, “By this method, all problems regarding wet and garden waste can be solved. This is the first step to composting and we are waiting for the time every society will be using this method.”
SDMC officials said that the method of composting is simple and that every RWA in the sub-city will be educated on the method with help from the Dwarka Forum team.
An SDMC official, while giving composting cage to Ekta Society, said, “This method uses the traditional method of composting. While the infrastructure comes at a few thousand rupees, only a few hundred is needed every month to keep it running. Segregated kitchen waste is collected from homes by a housekeeper in a pushcart. He carries a sack of sawdust in the cart and sprinkles a handful of it on the kitchen waste. This cuts down the moisture problem significantly. This half-processed waste reaches a roofed compost yard located in a corner. The worker spreads a thick layer (at least 8-10 inches) of dry leaves at the bottom and puts kitchen waste on top of it. This absorbs all the moisture content seeping down from the top layers efficiently. The top portion is always filled with dry leaves to ward off fruit flies, odour, mosquitoes and rodents. Composting time can be reduced by using an activator like butter milk, curd or jaggery.”
Meanwhile, the SDMC has also been distributing circulars to the RWAs to raise awareness of solid waste management as part of a joint effort for the initiative with Dwarka Forum.
