Transforming School Midday Meal Waste: Pipe Composting Initiative

sbmgramin

Introduction

The Swachh Bharat Mission Phase II seeks to build on the success of its initial phase by maintaining Open Defecation Free (ODF) status in villages and enhancing overall cleanliness in rural areas through comprehensive waste management. This phase emphasizes ODF sustainability, solid and liquid waste management, and maintaining visual cleanliness.

Students, as key agents of change, play a crucial role in these efforts. By engaging students, significant community transformations can be achieved. Recognizing this, the Mission Directorate of Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) in Assam has launched a unique initiative to involve students in managing biodegradable waste from the Mid Day Meal program through ‘Pipe Composting.’

The Need for Pipe Composting

Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) during ‘Gaon Sabhas’ in various districts highlighted a common issue: waste from the Mid-Day Meal program was often discarded in the open, contaminating water bodies and harming the environment. To tackle this problem, the state headquarters instructed district Public Health Engineering (PHE) authorities to identify 50 schools in each of the 42 divisions that participate in the Mid-Day Meal scheme.

School authorities were trained in the ‘Pipe Composting’ method, a do-it-yourself technique for managing food waste. This method is highly effective for composting organic matter, producing nutrient-rich compost.

Pipe Composting: How It Works

The process of pipe composting begins with the daily segregation of waste. For ground surface pipe composting, three PVC pipes (1.5 meters in length and 150 mm in diameter) are used. The pipes are inserted into the ground near the kitchen, spaced 1-2 metres apart with half of their length underground. The underground portion remains open to the earth, with small holes to allow leaching. Each pipe is covered with an inverted reusable bag to prevent rainwater and foreign materials from entering. The bags should have holes for air passage.

If there is no sub-soil water, 10-15 liters of water are added to the pipes initially. Then, a mixture of cow dung slurry and dry tree leaves is added. Biodegradable waste from the midday meal preparation is shredded and placed inside the pipes. This process is repeated with each pipe in succession. Over time, compost accumulates at the bottom of the pipes, enriching the surrounding soil and providing an ideal spot for a small kitchen garden.

Challenges Faced

  • Addressing the Problem: Convincing school authorities of the hazards of open dumping and the benefits of scientific waste management was the first hurdle.
  • Mapping Schools: Identifying schools participating in the Mid Day Meal scheme across different divisions was another significant task. Awareness meetings were held to educate headmasters, teachers, and students about the problem and its solution.
  • Training and Capacity Building: Technical officers conducted training sessions for teachers and students on pipe composting. Detailed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were also shared.
  • Target-wise Completion and Performance Evaluation: Each division was given a specific timeframe to complete the task. A performance evaluation of the installed pipe composting units was initiated to assess the feasibility of the initiative and expand the practice to all schools in Assam where midday meal schemes are operational. Initial feedback from some districts indicated that the initiative was widely appreciated.

Future Plans

In the second phase, the initiative will be extended to all schools in Assam providing midday meals. Additionally, students will be encouraged to manage their household biodegradable waste through pipe composting at home. This initiative not only addresses waste management issues but also educates and empowers students to contribute to a cleaner environment.

Pipe composting presents a sustainable and effective solution for managing midday meal waste in schools, fostering environmental responsibility among students, and promoting a cleaner, healthier community.

To know more, please reach out to Er. Nripendra Kr. Sarma, Chief Engineer (PHE) Sanitation at sbmg.assam@gmail.com

Published by sbmgramin

Swachh Bharat Mission is India’s first mass movement for a clean nation. Launched on October 2, 2014, the Prime Minister’s flagship programme has made the issue of sanitation a national priority. The campaign seeks to make the country open defecation free by October 2, 2019, as a fitting tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary. We, at the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation manage the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin), under which we are constantly working towards the improvement of cleanliness in rural India. Across the country, Swachh Bharat has become a massive movement led by people’s participation. We welcome you to our blog, where we have compiled some of the many many success stories of people's participation that we receive from the States and districts.

Leave a comment