AMRITSAR: Vermi composting is a natural process in which earthworms eat vegetable remains in the kitchen and convert them into compost. Gandoa is a friend of farmers and the manure obtained from it is also called black gold. These words were expressed by the concerned experts on the occasion of a workshop conducted on the subject of vermi composting method and benefits under the guidance of Principal Dr. Mahal Singh at Khalsa College.
The said eight-day workshop was conducted under the program on environmental education in collaboration with Punjab State Council for Science and Technology, Chandigarh and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, in which about 350 government school teachers of the district were given training in making Gandoa compost. For this training, technical and working methods were highlighted by experts from different institutions.
During this, Principal Dr. Mahal Singh, while highlighting the main changes in the farming environment of Punjab, said that such workshops are the need of the hour. He said that Gandoa eats all types of organic matter like cow dung, rotten leaves, plant roots, vegetable remains, nematodes, bacteria etc. and in air, water and shade, Gandoa helps in decomposition of organic waste. This whole process is called vermi composting.
Chief expert Dr. Saroj Arora from Guru Nanak Dev University and Dr. Rajan Bhatt from Farmer Development Center Nag Kal participated in this workshop. While jointly sharing the information with the teachers, they said that how Gandoa eat cow dung, vegetables and agricultural residues and convert them into good compost which is called black gold. He said that cow dung, shade and airy place, water and Gandoa are the primary requirements for vermi composting. In vermi composting, Isinia fitid or Eudrillus eugenia, especially Gandoa, are used.
He said that they are small in size and live on the upper layer of the land but their fertility rate is high. They live for about 28 months. It consumes 90% organic matter and 10% soil. Their functioning remains good at 25 to 30 degree centigrade temperature and 30 to 40% humidity. During the workshop, Dr. Jasjeet Kaur, Chief of Zoology Department, Program Coordinator and Principal Investigator Dr. Jaswinder Singh jointly stressed upon the farmers of the state to acquire proper knowledge regarding the said method and adopt it and said that the fertilizer prepared from it will help in the growth of plants. And along with the increase in crop yield, there is improvement in the physical structure of the soil, development of plant roots, increase in the water holding capacity of the soil, elimination of organic waste, increase in the fertility of the soil, increase in the number of microorganisms in the soil. Benefits like freedom from overcrowding, toxic chemicals, abundance of nutrients and prevention of plant diseases etc.
On this occasion, apart from Dr. Zorawar Singh, Dr. Amandeep Singh, Dr. Randeep Singh, Dr. Rajveer Kaur, Dr. Satinder Kaur Pannu, Gurpreet Kaur etc., a large number of students were present. On this occasion, Dean Academic Affairs Dr. Taminder Singh Bhatia thanked the guests and distributed certificates to the participating teachers.