Mobile garbage collecting and dumping device, machine for water hyacinth removal, and biodegradable plastic products for packaging, bags and disposables.

These are but few of the technologies displayed at an exhibition being held at the Department of Science and Technology here.

The exhibition was inaugurated by Prof Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary DST on May 7 as part of a fortnight long Swachhata Pakhwada programme to showcase the technologies that have been developed in the country to address the problem areas in sanitation and cleanliness.

Prof Sharma said the technologies that have been developed over the years with funding and other support from DST would also come up for discussions being held with scientists and experts as part of the Pakhwada with a view to promote their widespread use.

Vigyan Prasar, Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC), Technology Missions Division (TMD), Science for Equity, Empowerment & Development (SEED), Indo-U.S. Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF), National Entrepreneurship Board (NEB) and National Innovation Foundation - India (NIF) are participating in the exhibition, besides several NGOs working in the area of sanitation.

 

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Godasu Narsimha Pallesrujana is an innovator, who has developed a water hyacinth removal machine. The machine, consisting of a five hp electric motor, has been found to have been very useful to fishermen as it has significantly reduced the labour and cost that was consumed during the traditional method of manual removal of hyacinth from water bodies using cutters.

Another interesting exhibit on display is a machine to make bricks out of fly ash. It has been developed by Arjunbhai M. Paghdar from Junagadh, Gujarat. The machine can efficiently undertake all operations like soil lump breaking, raw material mixing and brick making. It can make 140-150 blocks (of size 15 x 9 x 7 inches) per hour. It can be used for making both conventional and interlocking bricks of different sizes by changing the mould. It eliminates the need to employ woman and child labour in the brick making process.

Prem Ranjan Singh, Shivani Singh and Ankush Pal from Daman and Diu have developed an innovative dustbin. Unable to bear the sight of overflowing garbage bins, the three friends have come up with a dustbin with separate slots for biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste plus a message sending facility. A message would be despatched to the municipality automatically once the dustbin is filled up to a preset level.

The Department of Science & Technology is observing the Swachhata Pakhwada from May 1 to 15. Other activities planned during the programme include expert talks and stakeholders consultations on clean water, clean air, clean energy and waste management. Child innovators will also showcase their innovations and prototype models for Swachhata on May 14 at Technology Bhawan.

(India Science Wire)

Twitter handle: @ashajyoti11

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