A Pilot Scale Solid Waste Management Programme through Vermicomposting of Organic Waste Worship Materials from Some Religious Places of Patna Bihar

Arvind Kumar Nag; Bihari Singh; Kamal Kishor Singh

Volume : V, Issue : X, October - 2015

A Pilot Scale Solid Waste Management Programme through Vermicomposting of Organic Waste Worship Materials from Some Religious Places of Patna Bihar

Arvind Kumar Nag, Bihari Singh, Kamal Kishor Singh

Abstract :

The increasing quantity of solid waste is rapidly exhausting the existing capacity of landfills and establishment of new sites are very difficult targets to achieve. Alternative practices to solid waste disposal can be reduction of solid waste at source of production, recycling, composting the organic waste and incineration. Patna the capital city of the State of Bihar has large number of temples, mosques, churches and gurudwaras. Devotees of different faith and religion profusely offer flowers, fruits, cotton cloths etc. while performing prayers and rituals at their religious places. After the prayers or rituals are over these worship materials, mostly organic in nature are carelessly thrown away in nearby areas – land and or water bodies. According to one estimate organic waste worship materials constitute some 5–7% of the total organic solid waste generated in the municipal area of Patna. Our present research work describes environment friendly disposal of organic components of the worship materials from some selected temples and mosques of Patna through their vermicomposting using Eisenia fetida and Eudrilus eugeniae species of earthworms. The resulting vermicompost has been analysed at regular intervals for such physicochemical parameters as pH, moisture content, total N, available P, organic C and C/N ratio. The results are encouraging for their use as organic manure. It is planned to extend this environmentally benign technique of waste disposal from all the known religious places located in the city of Patna. We feel happy that through this small endeavour we may become a part of the highly ambitious “ Clean India Mission ( Swascch Bharat )” of our Honourable Prime Minister