The Government of Karnataka (GoK) has allocated 25 crore towards waste management initiatives in the temples, which are places of worship for Hindus. It’s a circular economy approach.
Karnataka, as recent media reports indicate, will be the first state to roll out the concept on a mega scale. In Karnataka, 34,000 temples come under Muzrai (Endowment) department. They have been categorized as grade A, B and C, based on their revenue generation. The A-grade temples have an annual income exceeding 25 lakh. The B category is represented by temples earning between 5 lakh and 25 lakh, while C category has temples with an annual income of less than 5 lakh.
The initiative comes under the Swachh Mandira Abhiyana gamut. Waste-processing plants will be set up inside temple premises to convert 'nairmalya' - the waste generated by the temples - into compost, rather than letting it pile up in landfills. The daily waste generation in each of these temples amounts to...