Zero-waste ward a reality in Tiruvottiyur zone

Mangalam Balasubramanian, Founder and Managing Trustee, Exnora Green Pammal, said that they have been working with the residents, Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) and private entity, ITC’s Mission Sunehra Kal team, for turning this ward into a zero-waste model ward.

Recently, a compost park was inaugurated at the Sathangadu dumping yard in Tiruvottiyur to deal with the ward’s organic waste. “The Corporation gave us five grounds of space at the dump yard, where we set up compost pits, space for collecting recyclables and an office room.

The pits are for traditional and vermicomposting. We have been ensuring source segregation and door-todoor collection in 2,600 homes in the ward since February and the organic waste is composted. So far, we have harvested 2.5 kg of compost and two tonnes are under way,” said the waste management expert, adding that during the inauguration, the compost packets were given out to the residents.

Mangalam added that 30% of the residents have started composting at home. “Only the organic waste collected from 70% of the homes is composted.

The residents’ active support was crucial. Thus, this makes it a zerowaste ward and the model can be replicated across the city,” she said.

Ward 4 includes Jothi Nagar, Mahalakshmi Nagar, Kannila Layout, Ramanathapuram, Bhagyalakshmi Nagar, Brindavan Nagar, Kannila Layout 2 and Jayalakshmi Nagar.

The Corporation has been running pilot projects in selected wards for source segregation and door-to-door collecting and composting in North Chennai, which has seen a 50% reduction in the quantum of waste going into the dump yards.

A Corporation official said, “Waste management is a problem and the Corporation has been working at the ward level, with residents and NGOs involved source segregation and composting.”