Organic Waste Converters in Belavali, Badlapur.

Belavali's newer societies have to compost their kitchen waste on the premises, and there is plenty of use for it in their own gardens and in planting along the river. We measure the daily waste, pick a machine to match, and place it on the highest ground in the layout, away from both windows and flood water. Segregation at the doorstep and training for the housekeeping staff keep the system running once the developer has gone.

Belavali lies in Badlapur West, on lower ground towards the Ulhas as the river passes the town. It grew from a village into a residential area of mid-rise buildings, and new layouts continue to rise on fields that were cultivated within living memory. The river is close, and in heavy monsoons its water has reached streets and ground floors, most memorably in the floods of July 2019. Old trees still line village roads and field boundaries. For many families here, the riverbank is the nearest open ground, used for walks and, too often, for dumping.