City entrepreneur spreads message of vermicomposting

Ludhiana: While on the one hand, civic officials will educate people about composting of wet waste at home, this entrepreneur Rajesh Jain from Mahavir Enclave is practising this for the past ten years. He is producing manure from vermicomposting, which is being used in his kitchen garden and fruit plants. Jain is not keeping this practice restricted to himself, but instead he is educating people about this practice without charging a single rupee.He takes a promise from the person that he or she will teach 10 more people about vermicomposting so that more people could be added to the circle.
Jain, who is into the cycle parts manufacturing business, shared: “We have not engaged any garbage collector for our house, because we do not throw even a single wrapper outside. This is a very simple method and anybody can practise it at home.” He said for vermicomposting, he has created a pit outside his house in which he keeps throwing daily kitchen waste, and with the help of worms, it is turning into manure. Jain said he had two models — one he is teaching to farmers, and other one is for urban people.
He said farmers have adequate land where they can produce manure by making such pits, and for the maiden attempt, he provides worms free of cost, so that farmers need not use any kind of harmful fertilizers in the fields. Household residents need only three fruit crates in which they can keep putting kitchen waste, and in a few days, the manure will be prepared, he said, while adding that this can be kept in the balcony of flats in case people do not have a large space at home.
Meanwhile, Jain has not connected his household sewerage connection with any government system, but has installed two separate systems for draining sewage water. He said water being used in the kitchen, washbasins, washing of clothes, and bathroom goes in a separate septic tank to be used in watering plants. However, for waste water of flush, he has a separate septic tank, and for the past ten years, he did not require cleaning of the tanks, he said. Jain asked residents to practice vermicomposting at home and bring changes in the environment.
Making pillows from carry bags
Rajesh Jain has developed a method to get rid of most harmful plastic carry bags in a very simple manner. He fills carry bags in a cloth for making a pillow which he donates to poor people. Jain said: “After wet waste, plastic carry bags are the worst thing to be tackled for solid waste management, but we fill pillows of these bags and then give them to some needy persons. Thus, we are saving the environment and also helping poor people.”
No harmful chemical or fertilizer is allowed to be used at home. Jain said: “There is a complete ban on using any kind of fertilizer or harmful chemicals at his house. Right from floor cleaners to washing clothes, we are using natural things. For cleaning of floors, salt is used while wiping floors. Even for washing clothes, we use baking powder and white vinegar instead of detergents.”