SPMVV hostel inching towards self-sufficiency

• Vegetables and leafy greens are being raised in 1 acre in SPMVV hostel
• Waste water released from RO plant is diverted to these crops

Tirupati: The hostel staff of Sri Padmavati Mahila Visvavidyalayam (SPMVV) were stood by example by taking up vegetable cultivation with zeal. They have been cultivating various vegetables and leafy greens in about one acre by using only organic fertilisers. 

The hostel staff donning the role of farmers and were showing great interest in farming. So far, they successfully harvested radish, cluster beans, brinjal, green chillies, lady fingers, sorrel leaves etc.,

The hostel staff have cleaned up the area where bushes were there for the purpose. Though they could not attain self-sufficiency and there was no chance of it in the near future, they could be able to substitute to what they buy in the market. 

For instance, each time they got about 25 kg of radish and about of 15 kg of sorrel leaves. They will not be sufficient for more than 3,000 inmates, but it gives the staff immense satisfaction as they were involved in it. 

To harvest these crops, the waste water comes out of the RO plant was diverted to these crops thereby saving the water. On the other hand, the hostel was going towards automation. 

The authorities have procured two fully automatic chapatti making machines worth Rs 7.65 lakh each which can make 700-750 chapattis per hour, said the hostel warden Prof T Bharathi. 

The hostel was also having potato peeling machine which can peel off 15 kg potatoes in three minutes. It saves both the time and manpower, she said. The vegetable cutting machine was purchased at a cost of Rs 37,000 which can cut 150 kg of vegetables per hour. 

With these machines, they could be able to utilise the human resources more efficiently. She said that they have been planning to increase the area for harvesting vegetables with a bid to attain self-sufficiency in future. 

A guest house named as ‘Anandi Guest House’ with eight beds was also developed attached to the hostel. Prof Bharathi has said that it will be more useful for part time research scholars, who have to come and stay in the campus, for a few days to pursue their research work. 

The mothers of inmates can also stay there for a day or two when they come here to see their wards. For now, they have been charging a nominal rent of Rs 250 per day including accommodation and food.