VIZHINJAM GRAMA PANCHAYAT A MODEL FOR CLEAN KERALA PROJECT

Proper disposal of Waste is highly essential and unavoidable for leading a healthy and proper life. Recent studies reveal that the organic waste may be disposed off at its origin. It is true that a centralized disposal unit is also inevitable where there is no sufficient space for decentralized disposal of organic waste. By introducing the decentralized system, a huge amount of money now being expended by local bodies for collection, segregation, transportation etc. could be saved. With the help of biomethanization, organic waste can be disposed off at its source and thereby cooking gas and organic manure can be produced. Through the adoption of this technology, disposal of the waste at domestic, market, hospital and other Public places is possible by installing biowaste treatment biogas plants in a decentralized manner.

In Kerala, “God’s Own Country”, Kovalam a famous tourist centre, is situated in Vizhinjam Grama Panchayat. To achieve total cleanliness in Vizhinjam Grama Panchayat and to prevent dumping of waste in public places, domestic biowaste treatment biogas plants have been installed at several houses in the Grama Panchayat. By installing these plants, organic waste could be disposed and biogas generated. Through the use of biogas for cooking, the shortage of cooking gas (LPG) could be solved to a considerable extent.

BIOTECH at Thiruvananthapuram, an Implementing Agency working directly under the Ministry of Non-conventional Energy Sources, Govt. of India is giving technical support for these projects as well as financial assistance by way of subsidy for the successful implementation of this programme. In the first phase BIOTECH has installed 575 numbers of 1 Cum size domestic biogas plants in selected houses. By installing these domestic plants, 2.5 tones of organic waste and 5500 litres of waste water could be treated daily. The organic waste and waste water from the kitchen will be collected and the same will be fed into the plant directly by the beneficiary. The anaerobic bacteria inside the plant convert the biowaste into biogas and biomanure. The gas generated from the 575 plants can be used for cooking purposes. The studies revealed that the gas generated from these plants help in reducing and conserving the LPG gas costing about Rs. 22 lakhs per year.

The total project is estimated to cost Rs.42,25,000/- and this has been included under Kerala Development Programme, implemented by the Vizhinjam Grama Panchayat. By introducing this project, the Vizhinjam Grama Panchayat and

BIOTECH had spent Rs. 4000/- and Rs. 2300/- respectively by way of subsidy and the balance of Rs. 700/- was contributed by each beneficiary.

The project is functioning very well. By installing such domestic biogas plants in each and every house, waste management can be done effectively and efficiently in a decentralized manner and adequate cooking gas can be generated. If all the Local Bodies give due consideration and importance to this project, the waste management problems now being confronted by the Local Bodies can be overcome.