PATHANAMTHITTA: In a significant step toward environmental protection, the Ranni Panchayat in the Pathanamthitta district has decided to ban the burning of dry leaves while converting them into organic fertiliser.
This initiative aims to reduce air pollution and promote sustainable practices. The panchayat tasked the members of the Haritha Karma Sena (HKS), involved in the door-to-door collection of plastic and other non-biodegradable waste, to gather dry leaves in sacks.
"We have distributed over 1,000 special sacks to collect dry leaves. Once they are collected, it will be handed over to a fertiliser unit, where the leaves are turned into fertilizers," panchayat president K R Prakash said.
He said the panchayat was implementing the initiative after considering various factors, including the toxic emissions generated by burning dry leaves, the loss of moisture in the area where they are regularly burned, and the changes in the structure of the soil.
Setting aside the political differences, even the former panchayat presidents attended a meeting to implement this initiative emphasising the importance of environmental protection, he said.
According to the president, the panchayat has also requested residents to report any instances of dry leaf burning, and that they are also planning to impose fines on those violating the norms.
Substitute to cocopeat compost
The panchayat assigned the task of manufacturing fertiliser from dry leaves to a farmer Saji Abraham, who also runs a fertilising unit in Ranni. Saji said he has been nourishing the fertiliser from dry leaves using innovative methods adding fish wastage and other row materials availed locally.
He also said the dry leaves in his locally made fertilizer smoothens the soil which has an equal quality of cocopeat compost. "We have branded the dry leaf fertilizer under the name 'Success', which is also a success in the market. From jackfruit waste to poultry waste and cow dung, the ingredients are enriched before it is turned into fertilizer," he said.