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| Cooperative Hospital, Thrikkakkara, Ernakulam |
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While at many places waste is considered as something to be discarded, the Cooperative Hospital at Thrikkakkara, Ernakulam, is looking at it as a raw material to be converted into marketable commodity. The hospital, which generates 500 kg of waste daily, has been able to convert a portion of it into vermi-compost and sell it at the rate of Rs.5 per kg.
Formed as part of People’s Plan in 1999, the Panchayat hospital generates wastes like cotton and plaster that is burned and destroyed. Using the balance waste of about 100 kg per day, the hospital generates vermi-compost. In the first phase the waste is mixed with cow dung and soil and kept for 3 days. As the mixture starts decaying by the 3rd day, it is shifted to the vermi-compost unit, where the worms work on it to convert it into compost. Once a unit is full, the waste is fed into one of the remaining 2 units. These 3 m long, 0.5m wide and 0.5m high units have been able to produce 750 kg of manure in 3 months.
There is an earthworm rearing unit attached to the Hospital. In addition to the in-house use, earthworms reared here are sold at Rs.0.50 per piece. The hospital has so far invested Rs.75000 into the venture. While Re.1 per kg from the proceeds of the sales is for the Panchayat, another Re.1 per kg is net profit for the hospital.
The Hospital takes the initiative to popularize compost making. Many different and enticing vessels made of plastic and terra cota have been designed for this purpose. The day may not be far off when such compost-making units can be kept even in the drawing room of houses, says K.A.Abbas, president of the hospital.
Courtesy: Staff Reporter, Karshakashree, October 2003
Contributed by: Administrator
