In a drive that could set tone for similar endeavours, the Orchid Ecotel hotel in association with the BMC has started collecting ‘nirmalya’ — floral offerings to Lord Ganesh from various Ganapati mandals in the western suburbs to be converted into organic manure.
Forty tonnes of floral offerings, collected in the first five days of the festivity, have been despatched to the Gorai dumping ground where the conversion process will take place.
Offerings made at the mandals between Kandivali and Dahisar are being collected everyday by special designated vehicles hired by the hotel.
At the Gorai dumping ground, the floral offerings are segregated to be moved to the vermipits 1.5feet deep and 15ftx15ft wide. Four such pits have been constructed to carry out the entire exercise. Layers of sugarcane baggase and cowdung will be added to expedite the composting. Earthworms bred at Orchid’s own pits would be introduced to these layers.
The entire process takes 2 and a half months. Once the vermi-compost is ready, it will be used to make the city green and distributed to various ALMs in persuance.
Delyse Braganza, vice president sales and marketing, Orchid Hotel says: “We are committed towards a healthy environ. We are seeking a society that needs money more than it needs lip service”.
She said in the past, The Orchid had undertaken the anti-plastic campaign, beach cleaning drive etc”.
