Vermicomposting  

The total annual waste generated in India in the form of municipal solid waste is 25 million tons, agriculture waste residues 320 million tons, cattle manure 210 million tons & poultry manure is 3.3 million tons( Source :CPCB 2001).Traditionally the solid waste management practices involve collection & transportation to far off low dumping sites. This leads to fowl smelling area, disease spreading, and mosquito breeding grounds that mar the aesthetics of urban as weel as rural dwellings.The other option is composting which involves the dumping of waste into a pit that is covered with soil on the top. The bioconversion of waste to farm yard manure (FYM) by this method takes about 6 months 

There is a tremendous scope to convert the biodegradable waste into organic manure through vermiculture biotechnology or vermicomposting.

The vermiculture biotechnology denotes the use of earthworms as natural bio rectors for efficient biodegradation of organic solid wastes.  Vermicomposting uses earthworms to reduce organic garbage to worm "castings," a rich soil fertilizer.  The soil made by earthworms has many benefits.   The earth worms ensures bio conversion of wastes into a rich manure within 40-45 days under complete aerobic conditions.  

Earthworms are natural bio rectors having a specific body organs gizzard that act as a mill & grinds the waste ingested by the worms. The gut of the worms provides optimum temperature, ph, oxygen & other favorable conditions for the worms to flourish & carry out bio degrading.

The Department of Rural Development & Panchayats, Punjab has sanctioned a project for implementation of vermiculture biotechnology in villages of various districts of Punjab. The council is implementing this technology in    Moga, Jalandhar, Patiala, Ropar, Bathinda, Sangrur, Fathehgarh Sahib district of Punjab . Under the project, the PSCST has been  holding  introductory meetings and  orientation workshops, providing technical services to Districts Administration for the setting up vermicomposting units, their monitoring and training of manpower in the various  villages. So far the PSCST has set up 184 vermicomposting units out of target 300 units in the 6 districts of state, excluding 16 units in the chandigarh. The district wise progress of the project is shown in Map below: 

Benefits

This technology has many benefits:-

1. Besides efficient waste management this technology provides excellent employment Opportunities through sale of worms & compost.

2. Unlike chemical fertilizers the vermicompost is gentle & does not burn plants. Its application in the soil results in:

• Supply of nutrients such as N, P, K, micronutrients and plant growth hormones to  the plant

• Solublization of inorganic plant nutrients deposited in the soil.

• Improved soil aeration.

• Improved structural stability of soil.

• Increased water penetration into soil

• Neutralization of highly acidic & alkaline soil.

• Control of plant Pathogens & reduced pest attacks.

• Increased beneficial micro flora like nitrogen fixers, phosphate solublisers & actinomycetes.

• Better lusture, taste & keeping quality of produce.

 Varieties of earth worms:-

The species of earthworms that are being used for compost production are Eisenia foetida, Eudrilus eugeniae, Perionyx excavatus, Lumbricus rubellus and Pheretima elongata. 

Large Scale Vermicomposting

Methodology: -

A thatched root shed open from all sides with unpaved floor is erected in east-west direction in order to protect sunlight. The shed of dimension 12’*12’(feet) capacity to

Accommodate 3 beds of 10’*3’ each having 1’ space in-between for treatment of 9 to 12q of waste in a cycle of 40-45 days. The height of thatched roof is 8 feet from center and 6 feet from the sides. The base is raised to 6 inches above ground to protect it from flooding during the rains.

• The site marked by vermibeds on the raise ground is watered & 4”-6”(inch) layer of any biogradable waste is laid over it after soaking with water. One-inch layer of vermicompost or farmyard manure follows this.

• Earth worms are released on each vermibed at the following rates

            -         For Cow dung /agricultural waste: 1.0 Kg.

           -          For House hold garbage: 1.5 Kg.