Coal India Limited projects converting floral waste to fertilisers

It said funds would not be a constraint for implementing such projects in various temples

As part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR), state-owned Coal India Ltd has started two projects at Dakshineswar Kali temple and Babadham temple in Deoghar to produce organic fertiliser from floral waste.

"Eastern Coalfields Ltd (ECL), a CIL subsidiary has already executed two such facilities at Dakshineswar and Badadham in Deogarh (Jharkhand) where all floral waste generated are processed to make fertiliser," ECL director (personnel) K S Patro said.

"Two more projects at Kalighat Temple and Tarapith in Birbhum district are also under implementation. The Kalighat project will take 3-4 months while the project at Tarapith would be operational in May," he said.

"These facilities at various temples are capable of handling 800kg of floral waste for producing around 200 kg of fertilisers. These can be self-sustaining projects as NGOs managing the project at the temple, sell the fertilisers at Rs 20-22 a kg against the market rate of something between Rs 60 to Rs 120 a kg," he said.

Coal India chairman Suthirtha Bhattacharya told PTI, "ECL has done an excellent job in 'waste to wealth' under CSR project. We are open to support similar projects in more temples across country 'wherever feasible'."

The project helps in implementing 'Swaach Bharat' programme using huge floral waste generated daily at temples. The wastes pollute enviornment and river.

The projects were funded by the coal behemoth as the infrastructure cost varied between Rs 15-19 lakh for civil work, plants and machinery which is handed over to an NGO which manages the project.

Coal India said that funds would not be a constraint for implementing such projects in various temples across the country.