Door-to-door segregation turns waste into wealth in Tiruchy

Manachanallur and S Kannanur town panchayats collect as much as 9,500 kg of waste from households and 6,250 kg from commercial establishments every day. 

While S Kannanur has employed as many as 25 sanitary workers and 50 Self Help Group (SHG) members to collect domestic and food wastes from households and commercial establishments, Manchanallur has employed 15 sanitary workers and 40 SHG members for the same. 

The workers are using a total of 80 push carts that can collect about 60 kg of waste per trip. What distinguishes the two town panchayats from others is that the waste is collected separately at the earliest point and brought to the compost yards in four mini lorries, one for bio-degradable and others for non-bio-degradable. The bio-degradable wastes are stored in 16 pits in moistened condition for 45 days to produce compost and it would be sold as manure. 

Manachanallur and S Kannanur has generated a profit of Rs 25,000 and Rs 23,500 respectively last year, said M K Sathish, Assistant Director Town Panchayats. The amount is being credited into the general fund account of the panchayats. It must be noted that the solid waste management plant in Manchanallur has been awarded ISO certification for proper implementation.