Written by R. Devika
BORDA Partner – DHAN Foundation
DHAN CURE is constructing a CBS-DEWATS in Panaiyur Village, 4 kms outside Madurai Municipal Corporation limits. This project is implemented in collaboration with DHAN Gangai Vattara Kalanjiam and DRDA Madurai. As part of the social process of this project, CURE, supported by ExNoRa International, organised a field trip for various project stakeholders to Musiri Town Panchayat and Kulithalai Municipality near Trichy on 17th June 2010. (Pic-1: Panaiyur delegation in Musiri)
Participants of this day-long programme were six members and leaders of local DHAN Self Help Groups (SHG) who will operate the CBS-system in future, the Panchayat Clerk as part of the local Government, a member of Gangai Vattara Kalanjiam, as well as two staff from CURE. The 10-member delegation visited the CBS–DEWATS in Musiri and discussed with officials of Kulithalai Municipality the solid waste management programme implemented. Both the projects visited were implemented in collaboration with ExNoRa International..The delegation was accompanied by a staff from ExNoRa, who interacted with the participants and explained project details.
The group first visited the DEWATS in Musiri. Mr. Mohanasundram, Project Officer, ExNoRa International, explained the working of the system and project details such as the project implementation phases, day-to-day operation, maintenance and periodical maintenance of the system, operational difficulties and how to resolve them. He also reported on the CBS-DEWATS in East Devadhanam in Trichy, as the operation of this system matches the planned operation of the Panaiyur system in several parameters. (Pic-2: Mr. Mohanasundaram explaining about DEWATS)
The Panaiyur SHG members were particularly interested in discussing issues like possible funding patterns for the future operation of the system and for regular and periodical maintenance, how to form groups to take responsibility for maintenance, interest residents to use the toilets, as well as the role of the local Panchayat and leadership in future operations. Other points discussed included desludging requirements of the system (particularly settler and anaerobic baffle reactor), how to handle awareness building initiatives within the village and how to ensure sustainable team work in operation and maintenance. In East Devadhanam, for example, a responsible group was formed of five involved SHGs. Each group member monitors the toilet, collects the user fee and income from the sale of vegetables from the attached community garden and lists out income and expenses. The amount collected is deposited into a separate bank account. This meets expenditures for operation and maintenance of the system.
After finishing the site visit in Musiri, the group together with Mr. Mohanasundaram visited Kulithalai Municipality, where they had the opportunity to interact with the Municipal Chairman, Mr. Amuthavel, who is bringing about real change in Kulithalai on solid waste management. He explained the awareness building activities to sanitary workers, the residents of Kulithalai and to school children. Earlier people threw waste on the road side and into open drains. But following efforts of the Municipality and ExNoRa International, the residents changed their behavior in terms of separating solid waste into non-recyclable and recyclable compartments. These are used for income-generating composting and agriculture purposes. (Pic-3: Photo-presentation of Kulithalai Chairman)
The members learnt about the operation and maintenance requirements of CBS-DEWATS, knowledge which would be turned into practice after completing the ongoing construction works in Panaiyur, as well as about solid waste management. These could be introduced in Panaiyur in future. They also learnt about the importance of team work.
