Residents show the way to clean environs

With `16 lakh Gandipet residents build compost unit

Morning walkers at Gandipet decided to take things into their own hands when they could not bear the stench of the rotten garbage.

With an initial investment of `16 lakh, a waste processing unit, which stresses on segregation, was built by the representatives of seven-gated communities.

Now the area produces 3 tonnes of compost which is distributed among the communities and farms houses.

Rajashree Pinnamaneni, one of the founding members of the Gandipet Welfare Society, said, “Before we began the unit, we spent about a year and a half educating gated communities and residents of Gandipet village. We also went to the nearby shops to educate them about segregation of waste.”

The popular rythu bazaar at Gandipet is also plastic-free as volunteers keep a tab on vendors on using plastic bags.

Renuka Reddy, a resident of Legend Chimes, said, “It is surprising to note that most vendors stopped using plastic bags as we told them. Our sarpanch also gave cloth bags in the village which has over 700 families. Now, we ask the villagers to stitch their own bags out of old sarees.”

Moreover, women of Gandipet have began stitching cloth bags and making leaf plates.

Rajashree Pinnamaneni, added, “It has led to women empowerment as more than 750 households purchase these items.”

“It also shows that the villagers have understood the seriousness of waste management,” Rajashree Pinnamaneni added.

Aravind Reddy, a resident,