Two people working on soil to be used for potting plants.

ECO-INITIATIVE: THE BROWN & BEAUTIFUL STORY OF COMPOSTING

Compost is a sought-after commodity these days; however, the practice of enriching soil to grow better crops dates back to prehistory. A nutrient-rich organic soil amendment, often referred to as ‘black gold’ for its dark colour and numerous environmental benefits, compost is regaining popularity among gardening enthusiasts embracing sustainable practices, as well as those who advocate for organic produce.

While the world is rapidly catching on to this revived trend, Karma Lakelands has been practising the art of biocomposting for several years. With environmental sustainability at the heart of everything we do, one of our key eco-initiatives is biocomposting.

An overview of a hole dig for agriculture with trees in the background - Karma Lakelands.
A close up shot of a person holding soil with worms seen as well.

BIOCOMPOSTING

Our compost is created from plant clippings and pruning collected across the campus, which are gathered and mixed with cow dung and sewage from staff quarters, villas, and the Klub. The combination of this biomass with sewage neutralises odour and prevents the presence of flies and mosquitoes. In this way, the decomposition process, accelerated in time and concentrated in space, mimics what nature accomplishes in forests. This is the process of soil building.

What takes decades in the wild, we achieve in just weeks. Dead plants transform into soil, and that soil, in turn, nurtures the next generation of plants in the garden. This is a natural cycle that has continued since life first emerged on Earth, life begetting life.

At Karma Lakelands, we believe that composting is not only a soil amendment practice or a standalone effort towards responsible agriculture, but also an integral part of our overall waste management policy, helping us strive towards becoming a zero-waste organisation. Our restaurants and domestic kitchens segregate waste at the source. Raw vegetable peels and fruits, i.e., pranic waste (excluding leftover cooked food, tea leaves, onion, and garlic), are fed to the cows and quickly converted into dung. Goats nibble on broken branches, weeds, and plant prunings, while non-pranic waste, cooked food, and non-vegetarian leftovers are fed to chickens and ducks. This integrated approach helps create and accelerate the composting process.

VERMICOMPOSTING

‘Vermis’ is the ancient Latin word for worms; therefore, vermicomposting is essentially the decomposition of organic material by worms. At Karma Lakelands, we have six vermicompost beds. The worms work on both waste matter and soil, producing a nutrient-rich organic fertiliser and soil conditioner known as vermicompost.

Vermicomposting uses specially bred worms to aerate the soil and convert organic matter into compost. Worms feed on the bacteria growing on organic waste and pass it through their digestive system, producing worm castings, commonly referred to as “worm poo”. This worm manure, or vermi-castings as it is formally known, may be waste to a worm, but for gardeners, it is an excellent soil conditioner and enrichment medium. Vermicompost not only contains worm castings but also their bedding materials and added organic waste at various stages of decomposition, allowing other micro-organisms to attach to the digested matter.

In line with a strong focus on eco-responsible practices, the biocomposting and vermicomposting initiatives are also extended to K Villa, the residence of Mr. Ashwani Khurana, President of Karma Lakelands. To expand the eco-footprint and encourage community participation, plant clippings and prunings from the farm, as well as the entire Green Avenue neighbourhood, are collected and placed into various pits. Septic tanker operators collect sewage from different farms and deposit it onto biomass piles, which, over a few months, turn into rich compost. This is a process we at Karma Lakelands call “From night soil to soil energiser”.

The cow dung is processed through a biogas plant, which generates methane gas to fuel the staff kitchen at K Villa, while the slurry undergoes vermicomposting.

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