India

Municipality in TN’s Thoothukudi uses treated wastewater to grow free fodder for cattle

The Tiruchendur municipality which is located in Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi district has come up with an innovative way to use the treated wastewater of its sewage plant. Instead of letting it go waste in the storm water drains, the water will now be used to irrigate crops.

In a collaborative effort involving the departments concerned with agriculture engineering, animal husbandry and Aavin (milk producers federation), the treated wastewater will be used for growing crops at the compost yard of the municipality.

The compost yard of the municipality is spread across 84 acres of land on the outskirts of the city, of which on 15 acres machinery for composting, segregation and manure have been installed. In the remaining area Seemai Karuvelam trees are grown.  At Thoppur, the civic body has an STP with a capacity to treat 4.2 million litres a day of wastewater. Currently, 2.1 MLD water is treated every day and instead of discharging it into drains, it will be pumped to the compost yard located 4.5 km away from the plant and used as water to raise fodder crops on 10 acres in the yard.

The agriculture engineering department has cleared the trees in 10 acres and installed drip irrigation facilities, while the animal husbandry department has selected fodder varieties which are consumed by goat and milch cows to be grown there.  The Aavin department, meanwhile, has been tasked with the responsibility of identifying cattle farmers requiring fodder.

The area where this fodder will be grown will be maintained by the municipality.

The project envisages free distribution of fodder to eligible cattle farmers while at the same time reducing the problem suffered by the public due to treated wastewater being discharged in tanks. The project was launched by Kanimozhi, Thoothukudi’s MP at the Tiruchendur compost yard.

S.Ravi

S. Ravi writes on science, evolution and wildlife besides trends in culture, history, art, and stories of human interest.

Recent Posts

ISI-backed Khalistani terrorists neutralised in Pilibhit encounter: Punjab DGP

Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav on Monday confirmed that a joint operation by the Uttar Pradesh…

10 minutes ago

“Essential to nurture talent of youth, responsibility lies with country’s education system”: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday asserted that to take the country forward, it is…

1 hour ago

PM Modi distributes 71,000 appointment letters to newly appointed recruits, says, “Development of country happens through its youth”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday distributed more than 71,000 appointment letters to newly appointed…

2 hours ago

“Honoured:” says Chennai-born Sriram Krishnan, Trump’s pick for Policy Advisor on AI

US President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Sriram Krishnan as senior policy advisor for Artificial Intelligence…

3 hours ago

Taiwan faces almost 1 million monthly cyber attacks from China

Chinese hackers launch an average of 900,000 attacks on Taiwan's Legislative Yuan (LY) each month,…

3 hours ago

Foreign Secy reaffirms deepening of India-Mauritius ties during visit to the nation

Foreign Secretary, Vikram Misri, paid his first official visit to Mauritius on December 20-22. The…

4 hours ago