ake the best use of open spaces, especially terraces, the government seems to be telling residents. Following an encouraging response to the terrace garden and herbal farm on the terrace of a local body office in the suburbs, the Directorate of Town Panchayats has now stepped up its efforts to encourage kitchen and terrace gardens.
The Chitlapakkam town panchayat, near Tambaram, has followed the Perungalathur model in creating a model roof garden using waste materials, nourished with organic manure generated from its solid waste management plant.  “Most houses do not have a space to grow a garden and so we can make use of the available space as a way to ensure greenery,” says J. Shyamsundar of Institute of Social Education, a non-governmental organisation.
He suggests that compost can be prepared from kitchen waste. “Food that we consume every day has high toxic content while vegetables grown in our own garden is chemical-free,” he says. Joint director of town panchayats (schemes) Malaiaman Thirumudikari, who inaugurated the roof garden, says these programmes are part of a long-term process in ensuring green spaces in urban areas.
“Many local bodies struggle to find space to segregate and dispose of waste, and these methods could come in handy. When more people create roof gardens using kitchen waste, garbage reaching the compost yards will reduce,” he says.
M. Manimegalai JD, (administration), said 77 town panchayats in Tamil Nadu were provided with compost-processing sheds. In 2015-16, another 214 town panchayats will see improvements in infrastructure and proposals are being prepared to carry out improvement work in the remaining town panchayats. Town panchayat president R. Mohan was present at the launch of the roof garden.