JAMMU, JANUARY 04: Secretary, Rural Development Department & Panchayati Raj, Sheetal Nanda today emphasised on the farmers to turn the dry fallen leaves into gold manure by using easy-to-do ‘dry leaf compositing” technique to enrich their farming.
The Secretary was speaking at the inauguration of a first-of-its-kind four-day workshop on “Dry Leaf Compositing as Waste Management Tool” here at RS Pura, Jammu. The programme was organised by Director, Rural Sanitation, J&K in consultation with C Srinivasan, the pioneer in “Dry Leaf Compositing” Technology.
“Dry leaf compositing” is a four-day process in which dry fallen leaves are first segregated and then crushed before mixing it with cow dung and water. It is later piled up in a plateau-shaped heap and covered in a sack and sprinkled with water for 40-60 days when the manure is ready to use to grow vegetables in kitchen garden, farms and to make terrace garden. This high nutrient value manure manifested from the dry leaves is called mulch which can be used in ones’ garden without soil as well.
The event was attended by Director, Rural Sanitation, J&K, District Panchayat Officers, Block Development Officers, Junior Engineers, Gram Sevaks and Helpers from Jammu District.
Meanwhile, speaking on the occasion, Sheetal said burning leaves can cause chronic lung diseases. She advised the farmers to compose them naturally, instead. “The Dry leaf compositing technique is a very simple and basic yet profound technology which turns leaf-garbage into a useful resource of generating money besides cleaning our villages and compounds. It can be done by anyone at home.”
She added, “In just 60 days, a household can have another source of income which can be earned by selling this manure to grow vegetables.”
