Photo courtesy: Dr.Santosh Kumar
Photo courtesy: Dr.Santosh Kumar
Photo courtesy: Dr.Santosh Kumar
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Manoj Kumar V, Coordinator IRTC, Kerala, June 19 2020
In 'Richness of Waste', Sharing Solutions published how Kunnamkulam municipality became the first in all of Kerala state to collect green waste from commercial units and compost it. This compost is marketed as organic manure.
The New Course
Initially, coir pith essential for turning green waste into compost was bought from Pollachi in the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu. On his 14th November 2017 visit to Kunnamkulam Green Park, Minister for Finance and Coir, Thomas Isaac assured the municipality that Coir Development Department of Kerala will give the latest machinery for producing coir pith. It separates coir fibres of different lengths and baby fibres as well. Coconut husks bought from farmers in Kunnamkulam and around it can be processed within Green Park itself instead of purchasing it from Pollachi.
Coconut husks are no longer discarded as waste. Kerala State Coir Machinery Manufacturing Co. Ltd.(KSCMMC) delivered the machinery. Kudumbashree Haritha group members Subhashini Janardanan, Sindhu Babu, Girija Rajan, Sheeja PV, Premalatha and Rama Ramesh operate it with a revolving fund of INR1.5 lakhs provided by the municipality.
Kunnamkulam coconut farmers and those in surrounding areas get Rs1.40 for each husk. Coir pith and baby fibres produced by defibering are priced at Rs.4/- per kilogram. Other fibres are sold at Rs.19/- per kilogram.
KSCMMC machinery and the fibre product
Green waste management plants and home industries add value to coir pith by adding innoculum to make it a marketable composting medium. Coir pith is used in chicken farms too. This whole venture has generated local employment, increased competence in ecological waste management and enhanced natural heritage conservation.
Coir pith packed for sale
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