Kolkata civic body plans to convert floral waste into beneficial items

Kolkata: Mullick Ghat is the largest wholesale flower market in Kolkata, where a lot of flowers are discarded every day. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has been in touch with the state horticulture department about how to make floral waste into useful items such as incense sticks, natural colour powder, and perfume. The idea emerged that throw away flowers can be transformed into eco-friendly products.

“Currently, more than 140 flower stalls are operating in the market, selling tonnes of flowers daily. Several flowers are wasted daily due to lack of proper storage. Our aim is to stop such waste and inspire traders to make some daily-use products and earn extra income,” said a KMC official.

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The recycling plant was working well at the famous Dakshineswar Kali Temple. “The unit had been running successfully for seven years,” said Kushal Chowdhury, head of the temple’s trustee board. “Compost and other useful products were made from the waste flowers. But the unit has not been functioning since the Covid pandemic; people were asked not to bring flowers to the temple.

KMC has been planning to install a new flower recycling plant at Mullick Ghat. It is essential to organize the market first and give it a modern look. At present, the market has been functioning in shabby conditions amid a lack of proper roads. Therefore, accidents often take place.

Building a multistorey building for the flower stalls is also in the pipeline of KMC. If this happens, then the market will turn cleaner and safer for the customers and shopkeepers alike. If plans become successful, then waste flowers will soon turn out to be essential products.