Mumbai: BMC plans to supply compost made from wet waste to farmers

Waste being processed at Vijay Nagar Society, Andheri East. File pic

In a new initiative planned by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), it has decided to give out compost produced from wet waste to farmers in Nashik and Pune for fruit and vegetable farming. Of the 6,300 metric tonnes of waste the city generates, 70 per cent is wet waste.

Due to several measures taken by the civic body, the amount of waste generated in Mumbai has come down from 8,000 metric tonnes to around 6,300 metric tonnes.

Requesting anonymity, a civic official said, "On a daily basis, the city gets fruits and vegetables from Nashik and Pune, and while returning from Mumbai many of the trucks and tempos go empty. Hence, the BMC can send the compost in those vehicles without having to worry about transportation."

About 70 per cent (4,000 metric tonnes) of the daily waste generated in Mumbai is wet waste, which mainly includes household cooking waste, tree litter, hotel-restaurant waste and market waste. While the BMC does generate compost, which is used for various purposes, this initiative would help put it to better use, sources said. For this a tender process would be started soon for inviting contractors to generate compost from waste.

A civic official said, "New tenders will be floated to take care of the wet waste. We are thinking of sending it to farmers, but whether it will be provided free of cost or at some nominal amount, is yet to be decided."