Kuda Dhan is my first book. In my 25 years long career as a journalist, the issue of cleanliness and environment has had the most provocative impact on my thought process. Heaps and heaps of garbage and waste and its impact on human health have become a matter of great concern for me. During Diwali last year, when the air quality if Delhi was severely affected I decided to dig out a solution to this monster—called waste. I started to study about all types of waste and the available technology and their applications around the world. My approach was positive. I didn’t want to question or blame anyone for the situation , instead I was focusing on finding solutions.
I realised during my research and studies that waste management is a huge problem not only for India, the whole world is facing the same challenge. This is an issue of global concern. Every country is facing the same problem regarding disposal of domestic waste. Agro waste management is also a herculean task. Industrial wastes are slowly making our earth barren . Sewer water and sludge are turning our rivers into septic drains. Islands of dead plastic waste have became a disaster for marine life. E-waste is the latest global challenge. The monster in the form of radioactive radiation is not very far from us in shape of e-waste.
After digging into the depths of garbage management rather miss management I realised that while the challenges are like the deep sea, there is at the same time an ocean of opportunities also. It came as a pleasant surprise to me that in our own country many people are creating business empire worth millions simply out of waste. With the use of simple technology and their innovative minds, they have converted WASTE in to WEALTH. Instead of treating waste as a problem they use it as a raw material for their business. Sewer waste is being converted in to bio-gas, organic manure and eco-coal. Agro wastes are being used to made bio-ethanol. Human hair has been used to made plant booster. Plastic waste has been converted in to synthetic fuels. Young entrepreneurs feel E-waste management has tremendous potential in the future.
I have tried to string together all such success stories in my book. I feel this book can be an eye opener for all quarters of society, from home makers to farmers, from hair salon owners to local bodies, from environmentalists to academicians.
This book Kuda Dhan can open a new era of learning and earning huge sum by means of waste management.
“Waste management can create an industry of 5 lacs crores rupees,” this was the statement of union minister Nitin Gadkari, when I was discussing this issue with him during his interview on waste management. Gadkari’s statement was always on the back of my mind while writing this book
When I told our Prime Minister Narendra Modi about my book, his words were very encouraging. He had sent his well wishes and said, “You have chosen an issue of great relevance and multiple importance. Nation has incorporated Swacch Bharat which is the mission to clean India in their daily routine. Today its grown into a mass movement. Now its time to focus on the treatment of Waste . This is the only way we can face the environmental challenges of today. To convert waste into wealth to make it economically beneficial is the way forward.”
I believe Higher education institutes should also start thinking of introducing this as a comprehensive waste management course.
I wrote this book simply to tell everyone that nothing is a waste, we just need to look at it with the right perspective. I want people to read my book Kuda Dhan to make them believe that garbage and waste can be converted in to wealth for the nation. This book is only a small effort from me as a citizen of India to create awareness about waste management. I am dictating to anyone to clean up our city as a good Samaritan,I just want to show them how even garbage can make just anyone a smart entrepreneur.
‘Kuda Dhan’, published by Prabhat Prakashan, is being launched on 6 March