NISARGRUNA PLANT

NISARGRUNA PLANT FOR URBAN AND RURAL WASTE MANAGEMENT, ENERGY CONSERVATION, BETTER ENVIRONMENT AND RESTORATION OF SOIL FERTILITY

S. P. Kale

Nuclear Agriculture and Biotechnology Division

Bhabha Atomic Research Centre

Mumbai 400 085

Nature has suffered more because of human being rather than other way round. Wherever there is a human touch, the environment has undergone considerable degradation. Even in Arctic region we find the bitter fruits of pollution. The realisation has come at a slower pace but it is better late than never. Since nothing new can be created in this world and while existing energy sources are getting depleted at alarmingly rapid rate, we must use every available resource judiciously. There are enough natural agencies, which are too keen to help us in this endeavour. Science has revealed these tools and we must use their potential to achieve the urgent call of nature "CLEAN ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL INCLUDING NATURE ITSELF".

Waste disposal is one of the major problems being faced by all nations across the world. It is more than a menace in our country. This is especially painful because our cultural heritage teaches us that waste and wealth are two sides of same coin. We worship broomstick and Laxmi on Diwali day. Science has also preached similar things but we tend to forget certain natural laws either due to their commonness or because of poor perception. One of the laws probably most important for the conservation of nature is law of conservation. We are aware that nothing can be created in this world or can be destroyed. There is only change in form. If we want to live this law then we will realise that waste is not a problem but a part of life. We need to pay equal attention to it as we bother about other necessities of life. It should not be a wasted resource!

The daily per capita solid waste generated in our country ranges from about 100g to 500g. Thus a small town with a population of 100000 would be generating about 10 to 50 tonnes of waste daily. Metropolitan cities like Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi and the likes generate staggering amounts of such waste. If we carefully analyse this waste we will realise that more than 60% of it is biodegradable. Waste like glass, metals and paper can be recycled. The biodegradable waste if handled properly would maintain the natural balance of essential elements and thereby promote more harvests from nature. A careful thought has to be given to this aspect of waste on national level. We will have to educate the masses about importance of waste and proper segregation to ensure maximum benefit out of this waste.

PHYTORID TECHNOLOGY

A NATURAL TECHNIQUE FOR MUNICIPAL AND INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT

INTRODUCTION :

The growing population, urbanization, economic and industrial development are not only putting pressure on the water resources in terms of quantity, pressure is increasingly in terms of quality. Mainly domestic sewage, industrial effluents, and runoff from activities such as agriculture and mining cause severe water pollution.

Besides competition among the different users for scarce water resources one of the most pressing problems in the cities is the lack of sanitation and inadequate treatment facilities, resulting in severe water pollution, posing health and environmental risks. In industrial countries like Japan this problem is relatively minor but in South Asia , South-East Asia and China pathogenic pollution is severe. Industrialization in combination with a lack of wastewater treatment facilities adds to the pollution problems. In South Asia and China (UNEP, 1997), organic matter pollution is severe as well. The main source is untreated discharge from pulp, paper and food industries. The influence of unmanaged wastewater is not limited to the surroundings of the urban and industrial centres but affects downstream water resources as well, making them less or unsuitable for other potential beneficial uses, including food production in the rural areas. Further, in centres near the coast, over extraction of groundwater has caused the shallow aquifers to become contaminated with seawater.