Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Jan 30: Kotekar town panchayat has implemented schemes for handling wet waste. An ebullient farmer from the region has been collecting waste from hotels and houses and using it as organic manure. Surprisingly, his achievements have gone unnoticed till now.

Ronald Castelino from Kotekar Beeri has been making organic manure this way. He is originally from Mudarangady Santoor. After his agricultural field turned a barren land on account of fly ash from the Nagarjuna thermal power project, Ronald left his native place in 1987 and came to Kotekar Beeri where he bought 25 cents land and built a house. He then went abroad for work. After working in an automobile company for 15 years, he came back and got involved with apiary and other agricultural activities. He also grew banana, mango, guava, coconut, lemon, coccinia, spinach, jasmine, etc.

The land with plants and Ronald Castelino (inset)

For feeding his plants, he has been collecting wet waste from eight houses nearby and also from a nearby hotel. Ronald, who has passed tenth standard, also found a solution to the water shortage problem during summer. He has created a ten feet concrete tank with rings next to the open well. A month before the open well goes dry, he fills this tank and uses water for drinking. Inspired by the successful experiment, a few of his neighbours have emulated him.