Compost from crematorium’s flower waste will fertilize agriculture farms

Surat: Times change and along with it takes the sting out of dogged stigmas. Among many changes augmented by rationality so far, one more societal dogma on crematoriums will be done away by converting flowers offered to the dead as per ritualistic Hindu traditions to create compost manure.
Shree Ramnath Ghela Smashan Bhumi Trust (SRGSBT) in Umra will start making compost fertilizer from flower waste by using an indigenously developed technology by Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology (SVNIT).
With this, SRGSBT may prove to be a pathfinder among the country’s crematoriums to start converting waste into organic utility.
“On an average daily 100 kg of flower-waste gets generated in the crematorium. Disposing waste flowers becomes a major issue as decomposing flowers stink in monsoon and dried waste needs to be burnt in summer. We do not throw the waste into the adjoining river directly and so, this machine can help us with a permanent solution,” said Harish Umrigar, president of SRGSBT.
Ending their research that spanned a few years, associate professor at the varsity’s civil engineering department KD Yadav and PhD student Dayanand Sharma developed the technology for which the duo also bagged a patent for invention. After a successful trial run for nearly two years at the institute, researchers now put it up for public use.
The crematorium will require a machine with 450 kg capacity to convert the waste into compost manure in 25 days. From 100 kg waste, it will produce 30 kg compost, researchers informed.
“It produces high-quality compost that can be used as fertilizer. It is a trial project and we are going to install similar machines in temples as well with the support of Surat Municipal Corporation,” said Yadav, adding that they have approached Gujarat Council of Science and Technology (GUJCoST) for funds.
“From the composter machine, the organizations can produce fertilizer which is sold at Rs 20 per kg in market. Farmers are ready to buy a good quality fertilizer that we are distributing for free in some of the villages,” Yadav added.