KOCHI: Taking a step forward in decentralised waste management, the Heal Ponnurunni project — implemented in Kochi corporation’s Ponnurunni division — has launched an enriched potting soil mix made from processed organic waste.
“We launched the enriched potting soil mix, Heal Eco, last month. The product is prepared using the raw material we have. We are not selling the product in the market as of now. However, it is available at the Heal Ponnurunni society,” said Dipin Dileep, a former Ponnurunni councillor, who initiated the project in 2023.
The mix is prepared using processed organic waste collected from households and is designed for use in gardening.
The HEAL (health, environment, agriculture and livelihood) project, launched three years ago in response to the massive fire outbreak at the Brahmapuram dumping yard, was an attempt to promote decentralised waste management in the local body.
In March last year, the society launched Heal Environment, an enriched fertiliser produced from food waste. Aiming to reduce the amount of organic waste transported to Brahmapuram, similar waste treatment plants have also been set up in the Stadium and Ravipuram divisions.
Following the success of the project, the society is now planning an expansion to promote farming in households in the division with the help of Haritha Karma Sena members.
“We are also planning to distribute grow bags, potting soil, fertilisers and saplings to households. The aim is to inculcate a culture of farming among the residents. One household should at least have one plant. We will be supporting the residents by providing the materials and saplings,” Dipin added.
Households will be registered using QR codes to monitor participation and distribution. Dipin added that discussions are on with the Heal Ponnurunni Society regarding fundraising. The society has also been cultivating vegetables in a one-acre farmland near Vyttila using compost produced at the plant.