Home-produced manure secret behind his lush green wealth

PK Jaiswar
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, September 21

If charity begins at home, it should begin early. When we are teaching others to inculcate eco-friendly ways of lifestyle, then why not adopt the same early in life? This is what Gunbir Singh, an environment lover, has been promoting — producing organic produce, including vegetables and crops.

His Dilbir Foundation has been at the forefront of persuading farmers to go natural and grow pesticide and chemical-free food crops for sustaining healthy living.

He is now advocating every citizen of the holy city to compost their green waste. He has been practising the same at his home for quite some time now. “Home produced manure is the only secret of my lush green wealth in my balconies and varandah,” he said. “In our household, we ensure that our garbage is recycled into manure, which in turn nourishes our plants and terrace garden. The greens are rain-fed, supplemented only by need-based watering sans wastage,” he pointed out.

“I believe if each household recycles green garbage at their homes, our disposal system will get 70 per cent relief. The hard waste of plastic metal and glass is easily picked up and recycled without wastage,” he said, adding that every city park also had the potential of collecting their green waste in vermicomposting pits, thereby rendering themselves self-sufficient and clean. All it takes is being a responsible citizen and mindset where we care for our environment and take pride in our city, he said.

In his balcony and verandah, he has planted trees of Tahli (Indian rosewood) and a fig tree in the big pots

Gunbir, who is also chairman of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) India, Punjab Chapter, for the past 12 years, said he was an ardent nature lover since his childhood. He has also set a kitchen garden on his rooftop. “We are preparing the space for the next season of vegetables at present,” he said.

Dilbir Foundation, run by him, has been working with farmers for decades now and inculcating in them natural farm techniques and sensibilities. The #NoMorePoisonInMyFood initiative launched by the foundation brought consumers and farm on our Organic Farmers Market and The Earth Store platforms. It also organises Sunday market, where farm fresh organic vegetables are sold directly to consumers by farmers.

He said it had indeed been a satisfying effort, as the need for good healthy, strong immune system and sustainable living had been a challenge during these Covid times.

His foundation also ran the Amritsar — My City, My Pride, My Responsibility campaign for five years to establish this feeling among citizens. This has nurtured many organisations and dedicated volunteers, who now run independent movements for responsible citizenship.