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WASTE RECYCLING
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The Calcutta Experience
Sriparna Sanyal
Waste disposal, treatment and
recycling in cities are usually the concern of municipalities. Calcutta,
however, is unique in this respect. For over a 100 years now, more than 20,000
people have found employment treating and recycling the city’s wastes. They
have evolved and perfected over time techniques on how to use Calcutta’s
wetlands of this purpose.
The thousands of hectares of wetlands where all the city’s waste is dumped
have very high nutrient content and produce good quantities of vegetables and
fish. The whole treatment system comprises three zones which are uniquely
planned with alternate bands of garbage filled lands and channel pons. These
ponds are filled with sewage twice a year sewage irrigates the garbage fields
growing vegetables are supplied from these farms to the city. The same ponds
are also used for growing fish fingerlings on a commercial basis.
Zone 2 has the fish ponds. Waste water from the city flows through these fish
ponds after being detained for a few days to allow bio-degradation of its
organic components.
Zone 3 has mainly paddy fields which use the effluent from Zone 2 to grow more
than one crop a year. In the same area there are also a number of fish ponds
which do not have access to untreated sewage and therefore use the spent water
from the upstream fish ponds.
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Financial Indicators :
Mudialy Fishermen's Cooperative Society
(1984-85 to 1989-90) |
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Particulars |
84-85 |
85-86 |
86-87 |
87-88 |
88-89 |
89-90 |
| |
(in Lakh Rupees) |
|
Members |
146 |
161 |
221 |
251 |
277 |
277 |
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Turnover |
16.78 |
18.62 |
37.38 |
41.47 |
49.99 |
59.53 |
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Working capital |
21.96 |
20.37 |
11.60 |
11.41 |
16.65 |
31.24 |
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Reserve fund |
3.85 |
3.90 |
3.90 |
4.03 |
4.07 |
4.10 |
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Welfare expenditure |
9.43 |
8.42 |
10.45 |
13.64 |
14.25 |
33.47 |
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Gross profit |
- |
3.82 |
7.58 |
11.93 |
17.73 |
29.46 |
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Production of fish (tonnes) |
97 |
- |
- |
232 |
261 |
285 |
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Source : Frontline Magazine, November 1992 |
At present, approximately 20 percent of the City’s requirement of vegetables
and fish is met by this area.
Based on this experience, a cooperative known as the Mudialy Fishermen’s
Co-operative Society (MFCS) was formed in the early 1980s by migrant labourers
settled in south-west Calcutta.
The wetlands here are used for the disposal of effluents generated from the
surrounding industries as well as the domestic wastes from around the area.
The co-operative is involved in treating 23 million litres of sewage per day
of which 70 per cent is industrial effluents and the rest domestic
discharges. An interconnected ‘pond system’ has been developed by the
members of the cooperative. From the time of entry step has been meticulously
worked out. The average fish catch each day is 900 kgs, which at present
allows each member to earn about Rs. 70 per day. Apart from pisciculture, a
nature park has been developed and plans are afoot to expand the activities of
the Society.
The members of the Society had taken the wetlands on lease from the Calcutta
Port Trust (CPT). CPT has plans to convert these wetlands into real estate.
The MFCS is now spearheading a movement against such an attempt which will not
only deprive thousands of people livelihood but also demolish the innovative
system of waste treatment and reuse which has been in operation for all
these years.
The people of Calcutta have been quick to recognise the potential of their
wetland eco-system. What is more important, however, is their understanding
of the natural processes and adaptation of their lifestyle to these processes.
The author thanks
Dr. Dhruajyoti Ghosh for his help.
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