Activists are trying to make Bengaluru’s citizens self-sufficient by helping them compost.
Story so far: Saahas, a waste management NGO, has initiated the Bhoomitra project in a bid to improve waste management and processing in the city. Through Bhoomitra, the NGO provides residents with composting kits that can handle 1kg of waste and community composters with a much larger capacity. These are supplemented by gardening and composting workshops for residents.
- 320 individual households in the city have received the home-composting kits so far, thus eliminating 320 kgs of waste from landing with the BBMP. Saahas plans to extend distribution to nurseries and temples as well.
- The NGO has distributed 11 community composters that have lifted almost 750-800 kg of wet waste off the landfills. Residents of HSR Layout have undertaken community composting after receiving 14 lane composters.
Why it matters? In 2022, BBMP mandated the self-segregation of solid waste in apartment complexes with over a hundred housing units, or other bulk waste generators. The notice was expected to facilitate the collection, processing, and disposal of segregated waste within the premises. However, many complexes are bereft of adequate infrastructure that allows waste processing.
- The initiative will reduce the dumpage in landfills and relieve the burden on waste management workers and loaders while reducing transportation costs for the BBMP.