Panaji, Goa is adopting a decentralised model of solid waste management by processing biodegradable waste closer to its source, with a project in Bicholim, North Goa, setting an example for others, officials said on Monday.
The initiative is based on the Nisargruna Rapid Composting Technology designed by waste management expert Sharad Kale for the Goa government. The rapid composting process accelerates natural biological degradation under controlled aerobic conditions. For Goa, such a decentralised network could potentially extend beyond Bicholim to panchayats, municipal councils, markets, hotels, schools, hospitals, government establishments and large residential complexes, depending on local waste-generation patterns.
One metric tonne of biodegradable waste can be converted into 150-160 kg of organic manure within 24 to 48 hours, according to Kale.
The approach seeks to shift the focus of waste management from merely collecting and transporting garbage to segregation at source, local processing and recovery of resources, the officials said. The Bicholim project could demonstrate how a network of smaller processing facilities can complement existing waste management infrastructure instead of relying predominantly on centralised collection and disposal, Kale said. Kale said organic waste should be viewed as a resource rather than merely garbage. The technology, he said, can significantly reduce the time and space normally associated with conventional composting while producing an organic soil amendment after appropriate curing and screening.
