Vermicomposting of Elephant Dung-Maiden Success

Abstract

In Pilkhanas of North Bengal, slow decomposition rate of fiber rich elephant dung causes various serious problems of disposal. Dung-dump burning creates air pollution. Owing to the presence of Phenol crystals elephant dung is highly corrosive. Heaps of elephant dung form mosquito den. In this experiment, elephant dung has been used to prepare ‘vermicompost’ which has very high demand in tea-gardens, by using EM (Effective Microbes) solution and exotic earthworms like Eudrilus eugeniae, Eisinia fetida and indigenous earthworm like Perionix excavatus together with the use of indigenous bacteria and fungal culture that grows at the soil and dung interface . This experiment thus, not only helps in mitigating the management problems of pilkhana but also improves the socio-economic condition of local people so that they get interested about the implementation of this project.