Sustainable cities start here: Green heap’s organic answer to urban waste – Arenla Tzudir

Mokokchung Town, with a population of about 1,36,743 , generates 13.5 metric tons of waste per day,of which 9% constitutes segregated organic waste.

The improper disposal of organic waste leads to several environmental and health problems. These include soil and water pollution, the emission of greenhouse gases such as methane,and the proliferation of disease vectors like flies and rats- posing risks to public health and hygiene. Additionally, the open dumping of organic waste in landfills creates unsightly and unhygienic dumpsites negatively impactinglocal communities. Addressing pollution and health issues caused by improper waste disposal can be costly, Involving clean up, treatment and health care expenses.

In this context, it is indeed heartening to see the efforts of two young ladies, Sungtiyala Jamir and Watimenla Imsong, in the mammoth task of organic waste management. As students pursuing their Master’s in English at the University Of Pune, they often talked about doing something together after completing their studies. This dream materialized with the founding of Green Heap Enterprise, stepping into the field of waste management, an emerging and relatively unfamiliar concept in Nagaland at that time.

On 30th March 2021, Green Heap Enterprise signed an MOU with the Mokokchung Municipal Council (MMC ), represented by the then ADC and Administrator Shashank Pratap Singh (IAS), to lease the former MMC landfill site located at Tzumendang , Ungma.

Since its inception, the Enterprise deligently collected organic waste generated by the vegetable and fruit vendors inthe New Market area, the MMC Complex area and the Old Town Hall area. On average, 400-500 Kg of organic waste is collected daily, with volumes peaking during the summer. At times, the volume of waste is so overwhelming that the sole pickup vehicle, a Muruti van, has to make multiple trips to manage the load.

The organic waste arriving at the site is chopped into smaller pieces, after which it undergoes a series of processes before being placed into composting pits. The composting process takes approximately five months to mature.

It is then sieved, packed and prepared for sale. So far,the Enterprise has recycled 279 tones of organic waste which would have otherwise ended up in the MMC landfill.Scientific analysis of the compost has been conducted in laboratories outside the state, and the product has been found to be safe for use in agriculture and gardening.

Due to the lack of required machines and infrastructure, all work is done manually – except for the use of a locally made chopping machine which requires manual handling. This significantly slows down the process and limits the amount of waste that can be processed.

The progress made by Green Heap Enterprise is all the more praise worthy given the challenges of waste management and the amount of financial investment required – entirely funded by the founders themselves.

Mokokchung, being an ecologically sensitive area in the Indian Himalayan Region, is rich in natural resources and recognized as a biodiversity hot spot. However it is also facing increasing pressures from population growth, urbanization, and developmental activities. In this context,waste management facilities like Green Heap Enterprise are critically important.

It goes without saying that for such management facilities to succeed, community and government support are crucial. Only with community involvement can environmental awareness be promoted, behavioural changes encouraged and a sense of ownership fostered. Government support is essential for providing the infrastructure, funding and policy frameworks needed for a robust system. Together, they can ensure effective waste reduction, resource recovery and environmental protection.

*Town Population data according to the Electoral Roll, Waste Generated data according to MMC

~ Arenla Tzudir

MT