Surat: Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) plans to put water hyacinth to good use. The vegetation, which was removed from Tapi river, has been dumped at two different sites. Once it dries up, it will be used either to make manure or fuel.
More than 13,000 cubic metre area of Tapi was freed of vegetation during the nine days of Tapi cleanup drive. The water hyacinth is being collected at an open space near Vivekanand College near Rander intake well and at an open plot of Sarthana Water Works.
Municipal commissioner M Thennarasan said, “We can take this waste to composting only after it dries up. We are exploring other possibilities too for putting this waste to good use.”
Dr R A Christian, a faculty member of Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology (SVNIT), said, “Water hyacinth has many uses if it is recycled. It can be turned into manure. It can also be turned into fuel pellets and mixed with coal. These pellets would be cheaper when compared to coal.” The dried up vegetation can also be used for making ropes.
“We have developed a technique in SVNIT to put this waste into good use. If SMC is able to find a private partner, water hyacinth can be put to good commercial use. The civic body must explore all these possibilities,” Christian said.
More than 13,000 cubic metre area of Tapi was freed of vegetation during the nine days of Tapi cleanup drive
