A Chennai waste composting yard famous for its model agroforest and duck pond!

The yard otherwise would have smelt of stink but the panchayat officials had learnt about agroforests online and implemented it in the available space of about one acre.
Flower plants growing from rubber tyres at composting yard in Naravarikuppam town panchayat. | D Sampathkumar
Flower plants growing from rubber tyres at composting yard in Naravarikuppam town panchayat. | D Sampathkumar

CHENNAI: It is bad odour which normally hovers over any waste composting yard. But at the composting yard of Naravarikuppam town panchayat (colloquially called Red Hills panchayat), officials have found a ‘green’ solution by making the yard a mini ‘agroforest’.

Here, nothing becomes waste. Various fruits, flowers and vegetables are grown in rubber tyres, shoes, wash basins and toilet seats  too. Climber plant ‘pirandai’ creeps through the walls of the yard while small flowers in pink and yellow pop out from plastic water bottles hanging down. Along with them, various trees camouflaging the plants and plastic bottles have turned into art designs for showcase.

Speaking to Express, G Deepa, who is in charge of the yard, says: “Any little space can be turned into a garden and even non-biodegradable waste too can be put to use in creative ways.”

The yard otherwise would have been stinking, but the panchayat officials had learnt about agroforests online and implemented it in the available space of about one acre. Ladies finger, tomatoes, onions, bitter-gourd, and chillies are some of the vegetables grown here while the flower garden has roses, lilies and other small flowers.

“Seeds for the vegetables grown here are from the waste collected itself and the garden is fully organic,’’ says Deepa.

Deepa, who has been in charge of the yard for three years has created this mini-forest with the help of the sanitation workers there. “The vegetables and fruits grown here are given to sanitary workers and other staff at the yard for free,’’ says Deepa.

A portria tree planted in the waste composting yard neutralizes the bad odour.  “We planted Poosa Maram (portia tree) because it  has the capability to absorb the odour from waste and gives a pleasant space for sanitation workers involved in segregation of the waste,’’ says Deepa.

Pomegranate, mausambi, guava, cuckoo, badam and black plum too are grown here. “About six sugarcane and  bamboo trees were planted three weeks ago,’’ says Deepa, adding that agroforestry can help in turning urban spaces into green covers and that it could be implemented in other composting yards too.

An artificial duck pond at the composting yard. (Photo | D Sampathkumar, EPS)
An artificial duck pond at the composting yard. (Photo | D Sampathkumar, EPS)

The yard apart from being home to squirrels and birds, also has an artificial duck pond with six ducks in it. Next to it, Azolla (mosquito ferns) are grown in a small pond as duck feed. It also has natural compost and vermi compost pits.

Officials of the panchayat said the aim is to make Red Hills and surrounding areas zero-waste zone. G Sathish, Executive Officer, Naravarikuppam town panchayat, said six tonnes of waste are collected every day and almost 90 percent of it is segregated.

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