Kandivli ‘basti’ shows the way with garbage segregation

MUMBAI: Here’s a junk-to-manure story being spawned in the narrow lanes of a basti (colony) in Kandivli. And it could well set an example for the city to emulate.
Residents of a colony in Bhadrannagar, with a 900-odd population, have started segregating garbage in their homes since November. Only last month, they went a step ahead and started composting the waste in one corner of the colony.This comes at a time when the municipal corporation has been facing resistance from even upmarket localities over its diktat to segregate garbage at source.

The civic body has, in recent times, been facing a major problem of disposing the garbage generated in the city. Currently, its three garbage dumps handle at least 7,000 metric tonnes of junk.
Only last week, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said in the legislative assembly that the government will provide financial help to civic bodies for scientific segregation and disposal of garbage, but will not provide any dumping ground facility for the same.
A resident of the colony, Rachna Gurav, proudly shows off the two bins in her modest home. “The green one is for wet waste and the white one for dry garbage,” she says.
However, egging people on in the colony to segregate and treat garbage was not an easy task, initially at least. Initially, residents were up in arms, but eventually came around with some help and guidance from members of Shree Astha Mahila Bachat Gat, a not-for-profit organisation under the civic body’s Swachh Mumbai Prabodan Abhayan for cleanliness.
President of the women’s organisation, Ashwini Bhorude, said, “Initially, residents frowned upon the idea. They kept giving us their garbage in one container. We explained to them the advantages of segregating garbage and had to get down to the nitty-gritty of what is dry and wet waste garbage. Slowly, they started extending cooperation.”
Gurav, who is still getting used to the whole idea in her home, admits that she does falter occasionally in segregating stuff right. “Women from the bachat gat supervise the project. They gently point out our mistakes so that we do not repeat the gaffe,” said Gurav.
A bio-compost bin layered with a carpet of dry leaves has been placed in one corner of the colony. Here, wet garbage, which largely comprises remnants of food is spread over it and bio-culture is spread to ensure that the same gets converted into manure. For effective bio-composting, the garbage pile is stirred up to ensure adequate aeration.
“Soon our effort will bear fruit. The first lot of manure should be ready in a over a couple of months,” said a member of the women’s organisation.
Local Bharatiya Janata Party corporator Leena Patel Deherkar who has lent support to the project recalled the “dismal” garbage situation in the basti last year. “Now you see a sea change here. I’ve ensured that their area remains clean with an improved drainage system and tiles,” said Deherkar.
Officer-on-special-duty for Swachh Bharat Mission, Shubash Dalvi, who has been overseeing the project said that the support and cooperation of the residents helped implement the project. “Our effort is to reduce garbage from reaching dumping grounds. Besides, the public toilet and passages are being kept clean by discouraging open defecation.”
Dalvi said this colony is a shining example of how residents can team up with the civic body to work towards the ‘zero garbage’ goal.