Manesar societies turn to self-composting amid civic waste crisis

RWAs say government relies on contractors, ignoring root cause; composting at source has kept neighbourhoods cleaner and odour-free.

Overflowing garbage mounds have become a daily sight in Manesar, exposing gaps in waste management despite repeated promises and the creation of the Municipal Corporation of Manesar (MCM) in 2021.

A composting model pit in Rising Homes residential society in Sector 92 at Manesar, in Gurugram on Wednesday. (HT PHOTO)

With more than 80 housing societies generating nearly 40 tonnes of waste every day and about half of it being wet waste that decomposes and stinks, the scale of the crisis is massive, residents said. They alleged that even after hiring multiple agencies for collection and processing, authorities have failed to tackle the root cause.

“The government and agencies focus on contractors, not on producers of waste,” said Praveen Malik, president of the Rising Homes RWA in Sector 92. “Societies like ours have proven that the solution lies in segregation and composting at source. If this is done across Manesar, 80 to 90 percent of the problem will vanish.”

Rising Homes, formerly SARE Homes, a society of more than 3,000 flats, began managing its own waste in 2020 before MCM’s formation. Since then, it has processed more than 800 tonnes of wet waste into compost through a community-led initiative.

Residents segregate kitchen and horticulture waste, which is mixed in composting pits in a 1:3 ratio, churned weekly and transformed into compost in 40 to 45 days. The product is filtered, packaged and distributed free to residents, while some has also been supplied to MCM and the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA).

“The area is clean, there is no foul smell, and the compost enriches our greenery,” Malik said. He added that several RWAs now want to replicate the model since machine-based composting has proved costlier and less effective.

The initiative has also drawn schools’ attention. “We brought our students to see the process firsthand. It is practical, low-cost and highly effective. If all societies adopt this, Gurugram’s waste problem will be half solved,” said Anurag Mishra, a local teacher.

Parents echoed the same. “Children are learning early about segregation and sustainability because they see it working in their own neighbourhood. This is how we build awareness for the future,” said Renu Kumari, a language teacher at RPS International School.