SWACCHA PARLE ABHIYAAN

Folks! I have not been able to write for several months now- I now hope to be more regular.

The Swacch Parle Abhiyaan has started in right earnest (SPA for short). SPA is trying to reach out to as many people as possible so that Vile Parle East can eventually become a 'zero garbage' area of Mumbai.

Area covered under Swaccha Parle Abhiyan

It has three levels

First Level

All waste generated is to be segregated into following categories
1. Clean dry paper
2. clean dry plastic
3. Wet waste including sanitary pads, diapers and wond dressings
4. mixed dry waste means dirty papers and plastic, metal, glass
5. E waste including electronic and electrical materials
6. Debris

E waste, Dry waste are to be given for recycling to respective collecting agencies, so they will not go to landfill

Debris will be collected by MCGM against payment of nominal charges

Wet waste will be picked up by MCGM dumper and taken to landfill

Second Level

The wet waste (except bio waste) will be processed at source by methods like composting, biogas, etc

Third Level

Manure produced will be used in organic farming within Vile Parle East, itself

Its a grand plan....but I believe its possible....So wish us success

TREES- NATURAL AIR PURIFIER

My article published in a medical journal.

"TREES- NATURAL AIR PURIFIERS"
A Short Commentary
(February 2016)
INDIAN PRACTITIONER, VOL 69, NO. 2
Pgs 54-55

GROW FRESH AIR

I have always maintained a small garden in my house. Not only that gardening is among my favourite hobbies, but also I felt I could get fresh air. My garden also helps to keep the dust out, noise pollution is minimised and has a cooling effect on my home. The garden also uses up 30- 40% of my kitchen waste directly as mulch (the rest of it is converted into manure and then used in the garden).

In 2014, I became interested to find out which particular species of plants could help to maximise the air improving effects with minimum resources, mainly water. Someone told me that the ficus species (peepul, banyan) are very good for this purpose. As these are not ‘garden plants’ per se, I adapted the idea to my scale by growing them at bonsai level. But their growth is very very slow and I was thinking how much of a logic there is, in taking this further. Good part is- they are strong plants and need watering only once a week.

Last week I got forwarded this ted talk video and I am really happy to discover this piece of research. See it first:

This seems an elegant solution. But in a city like Mumbai, maintaining 10 plants per person indoors is not going to be possible. Space can be minimised with hydroponics, but this has to be proved by trying it out first. The three plants are small in size and can be kept outdoors also in shaded areas. So my idea is to see if they can be kept in building premises, on stair landings, parking areas and such other spots as much as possible. At least two plants can be kept in each room, which can provide some degree of air purification. The plants also do not require frequent watering or other fussing over, so it is a good idea to have them around. Only I need to check if the palms sold in nurseries are areca palms. The other two plants are quite easily available.

This idea is worth taking up.

CHANGE HAPPENS....ONE BUILDING AT A TIME

A subtle movement is creeping through Parle East since the last 6 months. Kolvankar Kaka has been the pioneer, visionary and guiding light of this movement. It has an equally impressive supporting cast of youngsters from Rotaract club. A number of enthusiastic Parlekars have joined in now. This group of garbage busters is called ‘Parle Clean- up Core’.

Devangini Society near Koldongari was Kaka’s laboratory where he carried out his ‘experiments with the truth’ about garbage management. Kaka is an architect. With his disarming mild manner and cheerful demeanour he was able to convince and train Devangini society members and staff to practise waste segregation. He implemented dry waste recycling and wet waste composting through vermiculture. This society now sends only minimal garbage to the landfill. They also earn some revenue through sale of dry waste and vermicompost. They have a lovely healthy garden in the society compound. All inside the premises of a standard space- starved building in the midst of Vile Parle East. Members are very busy and practically no staff has been hired. So the truth was revealed- building level waste management is possible inspite of the shortage of time, space and manpower. The Devangini team presented this truth to all of Parle in a presentation at Tilak Mandir last year. We all read Kaka’s pledge (previous posts). It was the beginning of this movement.

Through mutual consultation, core group members concluded that waste segregation is the most critical step for proper waste management and that this is best done at source. So ‘please segregate waste’ is the primary request that they are making. A letter and poster are being circulated through many societies in Parle. Many societies have taken great interest in this system and invited members of core group for presentation and consultation. Now a few elected representatives have also become supporters of this group. One milestone was achieved when simultaneously three meetings were held in Parle on 6^th Feb at different locations- the only agenda being waste management in parle. The meetings were attended by citizens and presentations were made about the principles and benefits of segregation. Group members would love to have more such meetings.

The clean up core group members hope to make Parle a zero garbage suburb, one building at a time.

TREE GROUP OF PARLE EAST

Since last year I have been part of a ‘tree group’. We are a not friends and not even activists. We are just a group of persons interested in increasing the tree cover of vile parle east. Aniket Karandikar has been doing most of the work and planning, though he hates to be called our ‘leader’. For me, he is THE LEADER of our group.

Aniket coordinated with the garden department of MCGM as well our Corporator Mrs Jyoti Alvani. He has taken as much support as they could provide. Rest of us are known to him, or acquaintances of friends or friends of acquaintances and so on......variously related to each other but connected through the same desire to have more trees in Parle. Aniket allotted us trees- we were given option of sponsoring the protective fencing around trees or to become tree parents by watering the saplings everyday in the dry months. The sponsorship amount was 1200/- per tree. He made small plaques citing name of sponsors as well as some with positive quotes. He has also been mulching trees with nirmalya flowers regularly. He removes garbage around the trees. And Jyoti Alvani gave us all letters of appreciation.  So in 2015 Aniket has been monitoring trees on Hanuman Road and Malaviya Road.

I used to water my adoptee everyday on the way back from dropping my kid to school. But in Divali vacation I had to request shopkeeper in Siddanchal building to take over as I was travelling. This tree got adopted by him eventually. Now I am ready to adopt another tree. Mr Ashwin from Guruprasad society is seen with a bucket watering all saplings and monitoring them early in the morning everyday- no one told him to do so. He saw the saplings and thought of caring for them- and became a tree parent. There are many such persons who have joined the tree group without even being aware of it. And there is nothing official about it!

Now we are looking forward to the  next round of tree plantation. Aniket has asked for suggestions about where to plant trees this year and also which species. Of course, he is clear that NO EXOTIC species will be planted....like Australian acacia. Also tree sponsors and tree parents are required and we are making lists. Tree plantation will be done in May and June, just before the rainy season.  Our saplings have shown good growth and by next year they will be independent trees. Every sapling needs outside support for 2 years. So under Aniket’s direction and planning, we hope to have a good tree plantation season.

पर्लेकारांसाठी चांगली बातमी

HINDUSTAN TIMES

Kitchen Waste management- letter to Lokmanya Seva Sangh

DR VANI BADRISH KULHALLI

                                             MD (Psychiatry)

MMC Reg. No. 1469/ 2000/ 2

Address- 204, Shyamkamal C, Agrawal Market, Vile Parle East, Mumbai- 400057,India.

 Email- vanibk@rediffmail.com Ph. No.- 9819269628

To,

President,

Lokmanya Seva Sangh,

Vile Parle East,

Mumbai- 57

12-08-2015

Subject- Waste management at your premises

Dear Sir/ Madam,

I attended the program titled ‘Ghan-kacharyapasun shunya kacharya paryant’ conducted by your organization last month. I am impressed that your organization is taking a leadership role in a serious matter such as waste management.

As your neighbor, I have noted that your premises generates large amount of kitchen waste on a daily basis due to the catering activities. Frankly, this is a nuisance to us. The garbage is left for hours on the street behind your premises till the garbage truck picks it up. Therefore, you need to have some in- house system to manage this waste. I have come across a biogas system that can be easily installed at your premises to use the waste. The gas generated will result in revenue saving as it can be used in your kitchens and the manure produced can be sold commercially. I have enclosed a related newspaper article.

Since you have already taken a lead in creating awareness about solid waste management, establishing some system for it would be a logical next step. I am looking forward to your organization to take this step. As a member of your organization, it will make me proud to belong.

Copy to

1.       Mrs Belvalkar, Nagrik Dakshata committee

2.       Parle paryavaran-www.parlepurva@blogspot.com

Sincerely,

Dr Vani Kulhalli

Enclosure- article about biogas system. It costed only Rs6000/- 3 years ago!