569 families in Mumbai compost 800kg of waste per day

Residents of Mahindra Nagar Colony, which is spread across 58,174 sq m, segregate and compost 100% of around 300kg of wet and 600kg of garden waste daily.

Around 569 families of Mahindra Nagar Colony in Malad (East) came together in 2016 to manage waste generated from the area and today, they segregate and compost 800kg of waste daily.

(From right) Ravi Kalloor, member of the Mahindra Nagar Colony Managing Committee and Krishna Harihar Nabar, secretary of the committee. (HT PHOTO)

After getting notices from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in 2016 to manage their waste, residents of Mahindra Nagar Colony started consulting civic officials to help with their waste management project. Once the waste management pits, which were designed by BMC officials, were ready in April 2018, the residents started composting trials. The residents installed a shredding machine in June 2018, after which they started composting the waste regularly.

Today, residents of Mahindra Nagar Colony, which is spread across 58,174 sq m, segregate and compost 100% of around 300kg of wet and 600kg of garden waste daily.

Krishna Harihar Nabar, secretary of the Mahindra Nagar Colony Managing Committee, said, “Those creating waste should manage it themselves. Nature is our best guide in managing waste. Hence, we have resorted to the natural way of managing waste —organic composting.”

“I am happy that the managing committee has done a good job by installing the waste management facility,” said Srikant Sarwate, one of the residents.