MYSURU: Water in its purest form at an incredible price of five paise a litre at a time when the elixir of life has remained beyond the reach of millions in the country?
That would soon be in the realm of reality thanks to cutting edge nano technology and nuclear energy.
Two groups--one of IIT-Madras, and another of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai, spoke at the 103rd Indian Science Congress of how water free of bacteria, viruses, Arsenic, and other contaminants could be provided in villages with the help of technology developed by them. That’s not all. The new technology does not require even a single unit of electricity.
In fact, Prof. P. Pradeep and his team from IIT-Madras has commenced installation of 600 water purifiers based on nano technology and nano materials in government schools in West Bengal, particularly in areas with high content of Arsenic in groundwater. Each of these purifiers, attached to hand pumps, costs Rs 30,000 with an additional expenditure of Rs 7000 to Rs 10,000 for their upkeep but provide 300 litres of pure water every day through the year.
“Clean drinking water is a material science problem. We found 21 contaminants but they can be filtered using nano materials. We are testing prototypes to provide water free of Flouride in Karnataka, Bihar and West Bengal,” Prof. Pradeep, an expert in chemistry, told delegates at a session on ‘Safe water and sanitation’ at the Indian Science Congress here on Tuesday.
He said his team would be able to provide purifiers that ensure supply of Flouride-free water at seven paise a litre in these areas.
At another session on ‘Atomic energy,’ Dr P.K. Tewari, head of Desalination Division of BARC, Mumbai, said his team has set up a plant with 6.3 million litres capacity to make sea water potable and use it to recharge groundwater and to cool nuclear plants. This technology was demonstrated in Manipur and Maharashtra, and could help in the ‘Clean Ganga’ project as well, he added.
‘Get india Inc to build toilets’
Dr Bindeshwar Pathak, founder of Sulabh Sanitation & Social Reform Movement, has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the need to get India Inc on board for construction of toilets in villages across the country before 2019.
Dr Pathak, who was here to address delegates at Indian Science Congress, told Deccan Chronicle that one of the largest telecom firms has offered to support construction of toilets in Haryana. Therefore, Mr Modi should invite other companies, too, as the government alone would not be able to complete construction of all toilets by 2019, he added. He said, “I support Swachh Bharat initiate of Mr Modi because he is the second leader after Mahatma Gandhi to speak up about sanitation and the need to end open. We have been addressing this issue for more than four decades and even built five toilets and biogas plants in Kabul.” Dr Pathak said his organization has developed ways to recycle water used in toilets and make it available at 50 paise a litre in rural areas and Rs 1 a litre in New Delhi.
Want to keep healthy? Blow the conch daily
A senior IAS officer slipped into padmasana posture with ease on a desk and sent 50-odd delegates, some from abroad, into raptures as he blew a Shankh (conch) thrice to demonstrate his new formula for fitness and wellness at the Indian Science Congress here on Tuesday.
One discernable aspect of such an incredible display by this Kanpur-based bureaucrat, Rajeev Sharma, was that his Shankh was wrapped in a saffron pouch! “It is a matter of perception. It was in a saffron pouch when I bought it a couple of years ago,” he told this correspondent after presenting his paper titled “Blowing of Shankh-an indigenous tradition for fitness and wellness” at the fag-end of a session on Anthropological & Behavioural Sciences at the Indian Science Congress.
And he made no bones of the fact that he was craving for attention as he invited questions after his talk and could not hide his disappointment when he found none in the audience raising their hand. He quoted Dr Albert Einstein (Most complicated problems of the universe have simple solutions) and parts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech at the inaugural session on Sunday at will as he repeatedly touted it as the only exercise for both body and mind. “The health benefits of blowing of Shankh are tremendous, and one who does it daily will enjoy better and perfect health. It is the best way to prevent ailments. A few minutes of practice will make the body free from psycho-somatic ailments,” he said.
Ironically, this additional divisional commissioner of Kanpur, said he learnt the benefits and art of blowing the Shankh on his own though in his paper he warned that one could end up with damaged ear or eye muscles or with hernia if not taught by a guide. And nor did he have any scientific data to back his claims about benefits of blowing the Shankh. “I had a problem with high levels of thyroid, but I have brought it under control after I started blowing the Shankh. Is there any evidence to prove that brisk walks in the morning are good for health?” was his counter when asked if could back his claims with medical proof. Interestingly, he commenced his talk, saying Dr Ashok Kumar Saxena, General President of ISCA encouraged him to speak about the benefits of blowing the Shankh and not to worry about the row that it could trigger. Clearly, the slip showed when he got on to the stage with his Shankh wrapped in a saffron pouch!
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