The plan of making vermicompost out of belpatra, flowers and other materials has started taking roots. The work of establishing first of its kind vermicompost unit at Pahari Temple in Ranchi is in full swing and it is expected that the compost will be ready by the end of February.
Ranchi Sadar Sub Divisional Officer (SDO) Ameet Kumar, who happens to be a member of Pahadi Mandir Development Committee, had mooted the plan of making vermicompost out of the temple wastes. The basic idea behind this plan was to make best use of the resources as during Sawan the belpatra offered to lord Shiva in huge quantity gets wasted. He said, “The committee is leaving no stone unturned in making the plan successful. I am regularly monitoring the site and it is expected that the target will be accomplished on the stipulated time period.”
A lohardaga based NGO- The Vegetable Grower Cooperative Society limited, which is specialised in producing organic fertilizers has been assigned the duty of making vermicompost. A four bed pit which is of 12 ft long, three ft wide and two ft above from the ground is under construction behind the premises of Pahadi Mandir. “Within a couple of weeks the pit construction will be over and after that the process to making vermicompost will be commenced,” said the Supervisor of the project. He further added in equal proportion belpatra and cow dung will be poured inside the pit and will be covered for around 60 days with warms. Around ten tones of vermicompost will be produced out of it. The estimated cost of 10 tonnes vermicompost is around Rs30,000 . “looking at the poor economic condition of the state farmers the compost will be made available to the farmers at Rs5 per kg. The compost will be made available at Surbhi Kendra which is situated at the adjacent of the temple,” added supervisor.