UNDP, in association with the European Union and the Government of Gujarat is building a township of temporary shelters in the GIDC area at Bhuj. These shelters, funded by the Government are for persons whose houses have been nearly or completely destroyed (G4 and G5).

Partner agencies involved with construction of the houses are:
· Caritas India
· Behavioral Science Center
· Sampoorna Bamboo Kendra
· Lions International

We have been invited to develop and implement a sanitation solution for these shelters. In our capacity and defined role as catalyst, we would like to be a bridge between the UNDP and the providers of sanitation technology.

The Engineered Ecosystem technology, developed by Prof. H.S. Shankar (Core Team - ONE) with Profs. B.R. Pattanaik and U.S. Bhawalkar, all of IIT Bombay, is a brilliant technology owing to its character of being harmonious with nature.

The technology essentially understands soil and the life mechanisms of the creatures that inhabit it. It involves structuring an ecosystem with all the necessary elements, depending on the nature of the waste to be treated.

Current Status
Discussions and evaluation of project in progress.
Preparation of project proposal.

Feedstock from Processed Fruit Waste

Feedstock for cattle comprises a concentrated part and a non-concentrated/roughage part (silage). The latter is produced by the action of microbes on roughage material allowed to stand for a defined period. The resulting material is mixed with concentrated nutrient feed and given to the animals.

We are in the process of evaluating the incorporation of waste from processed fruit, e.g. peels, seeds, etc. into the silage.

Current Status
Analysis of sample of waste (to be done by Dr. M.B. Patil, Head, Dept. of Animal Nutrition)

Activities/Projects in the Pipeline

Collaboration with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (Advance Locality Management Program) and AGNI

The IIT Bombay technology is ideal for treating organic town waste and most effective when compared to the techniques currently in use. (Download a table that provides a comparative analysis of different waste-processing technologies.)

The ALM program, as we see it, is an excellent method to reach the grassroots of the population and is based on the age-old tradition of community management of an area. It breaks up any project into manageable portions and increases accountability from residents of the locality.

We would like to use this setup to pilot the above technology and based on the evaluation take it up on a larger scale.