The Society for Community Organization and Peoples Education (SCOPE), Trichy pioneer in the field of Ecological Sanitation has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Tamil Nadu Agricultural University of Coimbatore. The main objective of the MOU is to study the characterization of human urine, nitrogen dynamics of human urine during storage, and mode and time of application of urine for agricultural crops.

The SCOPE has constructed the first ECOSAN Community Compost Toilet in the country at Musiri with assistance from WASTE of Netherlands, where every week about 250 litres of urine is collected. Application of urine for agriculture is prevalent in many western countries. But it is for the first time a scientific study has been taken up by an Agriculture University in India.

Dr.Udayasoorian, Professor and Head of the Department of the Environmental Sciences, TNAU, Dr.C.Ponnaiyah, Principal Investigator of the Project, and Dr.P.Thangavelu of TNAU visited the Musiri ECOSAN Community Compost Toilet and held discussions with Mr.M.Subburaman and Mr.V.Ganapathy Liaison Officer of SCOPE about the details of the Project.

According to Dr.Udayasoorian, human urine was one among the potential organic sources of nitrogen and it contained urea, phosphorous and potash in water-soluble form, which were of high utility for plants. The ECOSAN Compost Toilet design of SCOPE permitted separate collection of urine. Direct use of urine or with absorbing material could lead to conservation of nutrients, Nitrogen, Potassium and Phosphorous, he added.

The paddy crop was good and it was harvested on Feb 21st when Dr.C.Ponniah, Principal Investigator of the project was also present. The paddy harvested from various trial plots were packed seperately and are now undergoing scientific tests in the agricultural university laboratories.
Dr .Ponniah said that in the same plot the second paddy trial crop will be raised inJune 2008.
Already WASTE has provided Rs.4 lakhs for this research study.

SCOPE will shortly sign an MOU with National Research Centre for Banana, Trichy to study Urine application for Banana. This project will be funded jointly by the UNICEF and the SEI(Stockholm Environment Institute).

Stan Maessen Visits Musiri:
Mr.Stan Massen Senior Consultant WASTE visited the farm on March 22nd accompanied by Mr.Ivo Hanen Consultant. Mr.Stan Massen also inspected the Musiri, Ecosan Community Compost toilet. He opened the chamber in the house of Mr. Marudhai who had been using saw dust for sprinkling and dehydration purpose in the Ecosan toilet.

Photos Pending

Commissioner-Town Panchayats lauds MSTP:
Dr.V.Gopal I.A.S. Commissioner of Town Panchayats visited Musiri ECCT on March 12th. He harvested a bunch of the banana raised in the ECCT with urine as the fertilizer. Mr.S.Soundiah, District Collector, Mr.V.C.Sudhakar, Panchayet President were present on the occasion. The commissioner later opened the compost chamber in the house of Mrs.Muthulakshmi. Dr.V.Gopal visited the compost Yard and inspected the working of the DEWATS put up as a Co-Finance Project by Exnora International and MSTP. He praised the Environmentally friendly solid waste and liquid waste management models developed in Musiri.

Mamallapuram:

Annamalai Varsity to take up Urine Research

A special meeting on Ecosan and Urine Research was organized in Pondicherry on May 2nd by Annamalai University and BLESS of Cuddalore. BLESS already constructed over 300 Ecosan Toilet in Cuddalore district in the aftermath of tsunami.

Dr.K.R.Sundaravaradarajan, Professor And HOD of Agricultural Economics ,Annamalai University. Dr.Lucas Dengel of EcoPro of Auroville Pondicherry. Mr.S.Paramasivam, country Representative, WTN an International funding agency, farmers, University staff, BLESS field workers etc, attended the meeting.

Mr.M.Subburaman and Mr.V.Ganapaty explained about Ecosan and the details of research work on paddy conducted by the Tamil Nadu Agriculture University with the funding of WASTE.

Mr. Anthonyswamy of BLESS, wanted to promote urine research in the area with the help of the Ecosan toilets built by them in many villages. Dr.K.R. Sundaravaradarajan announced that Annamalai University will initiate research on application of urine on floriculture and vegetables in the University Farm and in the field of farmers of the area.