LUDHIANA: Instead of waiting for the government to act, some green crusaders are taking small steps to protect the environment and are also taking others along. Major Gurdeep Samra (retd) from Basant Avenue and school teacher Ritu Malhan are doing their bit for the mother earth. In a solution to waterlogging in his locality, Major Samra created rainwater recharge wells, and nearby localities are also following in his footsteps. Ritu is working actively on solid waste management and converting wet waste into manure. She has created a group of 256 persons, who are learning home composting from her.
Major Samra, 70, said, “Some three years ago, there was heavy rain and water accumulated in the streets. I decided to have recharge wells near my house and inquired from nearby villages for the work and got a team from Phullewal village.”
Known for his love for cycling, Major Samra said, “Mother earth is thirsty and low-cost rain harvesting is the solution. For this system, three feet-deep tank is dug, brick walls are constructed and lids fixed. Then a bore is made with a pipe and a filter up to 30 feet down. This system does not cost much and its annual maintenance is easy.”
His waterlogging solution has also saved the roads from breakage and now there are over 35 such harvesting wells in his colony and adjoining areas. Major Samra said, “I receive calls from other localities too for technical assistance in the job. Recently, Shamsher Avenue residents got the system installed in their locality.”
He pedals up to Sidhwan Canal from his house and has covered over 1 lakh kilometres on cycle. He has also written a poem on his bicycle that was printed in a journal.
Basant Avenue resident Meera Tandon, while appreciating the efforts of Major Samra, said, “We feel relieved after this system was installed in the locality as rainwater is drained out in one hour.”
Ritu Malhan makes people understand source segregation of waste and home composting. She has a terrace garden at her home in Vikas Nagar, where she spends time with her plants of vegetables, fruits, medicinal herbs and flowers.
She said, “Seven years ago, I started home composting and using organic manure in plants. Most of the vegetables and plants which we consume come from my kitchen garden.”
She said, “We believe in making every house a farm and food should come directly from roof to plate. I have been growing vegetables and fruits like radish, red and black carrots, mint, coriander, cauliflower, capsicum, bell peppers, potatoes, onions, tomato, cherry tomato, parsley, garlic, fenugreek, spinach, mustard, beans, gourds, dragon fruit, figs, banana, apples, mulberries, lemons, oranges, mango and chikoo. There is also an endless variety of flowers and medicinal plants, like aloe vera, ajwain, tulsi and basil, among others.
Ritu keeps her home chemical free by using bio-enzymes instead of phenyl, shampoo, detergent, dish washing liquid, pet shampoo, fruits’ and vegetables’ cleaner and sanitizer. She said, “Every person should efficiently handle home waste so that mountains of garbage at the dump are not created and the earth and its people can breathe.” She said in her school too, fallen leaves were being used for compost, as burning them creates pollution.
Green thumb club
Ritu has been educating people about home composting through a WhatsApp group Green Thumb that was created with a purpose to make the city clean and green by managing the waste at home and providing poison-free, fully organic food to people. For her efforts, the MC has awarded her with Green Hero Award twice. Her efforts had multiplied during the two years of the pandemic.
