New composting site at Dilli Haat, Aradhana Society gets Anupam Colony tag

New Delhi: As part of a plan to developing sustainable and decentralised waste management projects in local markets and residential areas, New Delhi Municipal Council has set up a new composting site at INA-Dilli Haat.

The newly inaugurated facility is equipped with 15 aerobin composters of 400-litre capacity each. Together, these will process around 180 kg of organic waste generated by 25 restaurants at the Delhi Haat daily and convert it into nutrient-rich compost, thereby reducing the volume of waste sent to landfills, said officials.

NDMC chairman Keshav Chandra said, "The installation of aerobin composters is not just about waste treatment but also about rethinking how we, as citizens, engage with our environment. This initiative shows how community-level solutions can transform waste into wealth, reduce the pressure on landfills and set a benchmark for other cities."

The project is a joint venture done in collaboration with NGOs and named as ‘Segregation of waste for recycling and treatment.' The aerobin technology is compact, odour-free, electricity-free and highly suited for community spaces. It eliminates manual handling while ensuring efficiency and eco-friendliness.

On Friday, NDMC also declared Aradhana (Burmah Shell Cooperative Housing Society Ltd) as "Anupam Colony." Prior to this, Bharti Nagar and DI, D2, and Satya Sadan Officer's Flats in Chanakyapuri were declared as Anupam Colony or models for zero-waste living in govt housing.

Wet waste collected by RWA workers from these colonies is processed into organic compost, while dry waste is further sorted into different subcategories such as PET bottles, aluminium cans, metals and non-recyclables. These initiatives have been implemented under the guidance of Dr Ruby Makhija, founder of Why Waste Your Waste Foundation.

N Marwah, president of the managing committee, Aradhana Society, said, "This achievement has been possible only through the cooperation of our residents, dedicated support staff and the proactive assistance of NDMC."