The NGO has installed a biodigester septic tank at Kalpathi

Friends of Bharat Puja workers handing over the documents of bio-digester septic tank installed at Kalpathi to Palakkad Municipal Chairperson Pramila Sasidharan on Friday. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangements

Metroman e. Friends of Bharatpuzha (FOB), an NGO headed by Sreedharan, has replaced the traditional septic tank being used by the comfort station near the main temple in Kalpathi.

FoB’s initiative comes after high levels of coliform bacteria were detected in the Kalpathi river, which is being used by a large number of people for bathing and washing.

Sreedharan and his team spent ₹ 12.5 lakh from the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) fund provided by Cochin Shipyard to replace the existing septic tank at Kalpathi. The FOB study found that the water coming out of the septic tank was polluting the river.

FOB used a biodigester system to replace the conventional septic tank near Kundambalam in Kalpathi. “A biodigester is environmentally friendly where the manure waste is converted into water and methane gas and this water is further treated and used to flush toilets, whereas in earlier systems it was dumped into the river,” said VL Natarajan. , FOB Joint Coordinator.

The system consists of a sealed chamber where bacteria break down organic waste material in an oxygen-free environment. The processes inside the bio septic tank produce biogas, usable water, and sometimes organic fertilizer.

A biodigester septic tank is based on a natural process known as anaerobic digestion. Bacteria in the tank break down the organic waste material into a series of chemical compounds through a series of chemical reactions until all yield methane (commonly known as biogas), carbon dioxide, and water.

Samudra Shipping offers technology for new septic tanks. FOB officials formally handed over the tank to the municipality here on Friday.

“The new system will prevent the pollution of Kalpathi river to a great extent,” said Mr. Natarajan.