Hyderabad: Eco-warriors scoop out for floral waste to turn into biofertilisers

Hyderabad : Collaborating with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), dedicated lake volunteers have undertaken an innovative initiative to recycle all the ‘Patri,’ encompassing floral and leaf materials used in Ganesh Puja, with the aim of producing bio-enzyme fertilizers.

These dedicated eco warriors have been tirelessly working during every festive season, particularly during Ganesh immersion, to clean the lake and recycle the waste. However, a recurring problem has been the significant influx of floral waste into the lake post-immersion, contributing to water pollution. In response to this persistent challenge, several voluntary organisations have launched a novel initiative: the conversion of floral and ‘Patri’ waste, which includes the 21 leaves used in offering to Lord Ganesh, into bio-enzyme fertilizers. At the Visva Sustainable Foundation, Dhruvansh, and Dha3RNGO, the spirit of eco-conscious practices thrives. These organisations are not solely committed to the post-immersion cleaning of water bodies but also to the preservation of the ecosystem through the innovative conversion of waste into bio-enzymes, benefiting agriculture. The lakes that have been the focus of their cleaning efforts include AmeenpurLake, MansoorabadPeddaCheruvu, Nizampet Lake, Saroornagar Lake, and Nallagandla Lake

ManojVidiyala, Co-founder of Dha3RNGO, said “Every year after Ganesh immersion, we can find the lake bed covered with floral and leaf waste. GHMC is trying to clear waste but it is not possible in each and every lake. Also, during our inspection at MansoorabadPeddaCheruvu and ChinnaCheruvu, we found that a huge amount of plastic and puja material was dumped. The toxic pesticides and insecticides remaining as a residue on flowers get washed away into the water, bruising the fragile ecosphere. Especially the floral waste is draped in plastic bags, so to stop this menace as a pilot project we have planned to convert the floral waste into organic compost and the manure which will be generated will be given to small nursery owners for free of cost and we are planning to start within a week.”

“Recognising that simply clearing floral waste from lakes isn’t a long-term solution, we’ve undertaken an initiative to transform this waste into bio-enzyme fertilizers. Although this process demands some time and effort, the results are truly remarkable. Over the past five years, following each immersion, we’ve been diligently collecting the floral waste, combining it with jaggery, and allowing it to ferment for two months.

After this period, we strain the waste, obtaining a valuable liquid substance. This substance serves as a potent fertilizer for the plants surrounding Neknampur Lake and boasts a multitude of versatile uses, including functioning as a toilet cleaner and a mosquito repellent,” said a volunteer of Dhruvansh.