Manure prepared through vermiculture is highly rich in nutrients and can be used for growing plants and vegetable and even wheat and paddy. If produced on a large scale BCJ may not require to purchase chemical fertilisers for its vast farm spread over hundreds of acres.

Superintendent of Jail R N Meena said that he was greatly impressed by vermiculture projects in various institutions, including some educational institutions, which motivated him to go for it. ``I have more manpower and resources as well as enough space required for it and I believe that the BCJ can undertake the project with much success than any other institution in the city'', asserts Meena.

As BCJ did not have the required knowhow to start the project, it approached the Society for Clean Environment (SOCLEEN) which had provided technical knowhow to other institutions in this regard. ``When I discussed the matter with SOCLEEN President V V Modi, I found that we have all the resources needed for the project. On my request, Modi immediately agreed to set up the vermiculture project in the jail premises'', Meena says.

``If the pilot project succeeds, we will begin vermiculture on a large scale and take it even outside the jail on our farmlands'', declares Meena.

Vermiculture was first started in Vadodara in March 1997 by SOCLEEN with a view to solving the problems associated with the disposal of solid waste. During the last one year, as many as 55 residential houses and 10 institutions including EME, Air Force headquarters, Nature Cure Centre, Police Training School, Utkarsh Vidyalaya and GEB school have started the process of vermiculture.