Moo matters! First collectorate to get dung paint

RAIPUR:  At a time when key government buildings tend to look modern and posh, and authorities are ready to go the extra mile to enhance aesthetics, the collectorate in Chhattisgarh’s Balod has gone organic. 
In what may be the first such move in the country, the entire collectorate building in Balod, 110 km from Raipur, is getting a coat of eco-friendly natural paint with cow dung as the key ingredient. 

The move is a follow-up to the Bhupesh Baghel-led government’s decision in December last to get all government buildings and schools painted with natural emulsion. Balod already has units that manufacture cow dung-based non-toxic, odourless paint, which is 30% cheaper than those from multinational companies. These units have been set up in cattle shelters, where women self-help groups are engaged. There are similar plants in other districts as well.

“Not just the collectorate, we are also covering government offices, schools and angadwadi centres with coats of the natural paint derived from cow-dung. The state’s initiative on using cost-effective cow dung-based paints, encouraged under the Godhan Nyay Yojana, has attained wide recognition owing to its cost-effective, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, odourless qualities,” said Balod district collector Kuldeep Sharma. 

According to government officials, the state’s move is unique as it has the potential to boost the rural economy by increasing the income of women, besides fostering innovation in the production of environment-friendly paint.