Odisha engineer innovate ‘AGNIS’ to convert Agro waste into clean cooking fuel

 

Statistics show that the second leading environmental cause of increasing mortality in the world is indoor fire. Each year, approximately 3.8 million people die prematurely from diseases such as stroke, pneumonia, shortness of breath and cancer caused by indoor air pollution. In view of the increasing harmful effects of indoor pollution, 23-year-old engineer Debshree Padhi from Bhubaneswar has developed a "zero smoke" cooking stove named 'AGNIS'. Through which Debshree has found a solution to the environmental problems arising out of biomass fuel and stubble burning which are considered to be the main causes of air pollution.

We are all familiar with the social truth that indoor air pollution causes diseases like cataract, lung cancer, bronchitis and leads to childhood pneumonia, emphysema, cataracts, lung cancer, bronchitis, heart disease and low birth weight. But till now no permanent solution has been found for this problem. Reportedly, Padhi's childhood home is among the lakhs of households where women do kitchen work and suffer from respiratory ailments. In such a situation, this innovation of Debashree is really praiseworthy.

How did Devshree get inspired?

Debashree says – As a child, I was never allowed to enter the kitchen because of the smoke generated while cooking. This was not only happened in my house located in Nami village, Bhadrak, Odisha, but in all the houses of the same village where traditional chulhas were used instead of LPG gas. This problem may be very common in villages but its effects are quite fatal. This smoke affected one of my relatives that he started suffering from respiratory problems as well as burning of eyes. All these problems just inspired me to make 'Agnis' stove.

Plus Points of "zero smoke" cooking stove 'AGNIS'

Regarding the 'Agnis' stove, Devshree Padhi says - "I made this stove to combat indoor air pollution in rural homes. No pollutants are released from this stove as it emits less than 0.15 ppm of carbon monoxide. Apart from this, there is no need of wood to burn this stove. Since this stove is made with end-to-end cooking technology, it is capable of cooking food in half the time than normal. It makes rice in just 5 minutes and Dal in 10 minutes. Not only this, problems like burning of eyes, darkening of the walls of the house also do not occur with the use of this stove.

I made 'Agnis' during my college project: Debashree

Debashree, who completed her engineering from the Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology, Mysore, says – “During the college project, the students were asked by the department to find a solution to a problem that affects a large population in a big way. Indoor air pollution is undoubtedly a major problem of our villages which demands a permanent solution. Because I had seen this problem very closely, I was inspired to make a smokeless chulha.”

Central Government's MSME Incubation Program also encouraged Debashree

Devshree's developed prototypes for the smokeless stove passed many tests. After which her college management asked her to participate in the Central Government Micro, Small, Medium Enterprise Incubation in Bhubaneswar. In this program the organizers not only liked her Agnis prototype but also trained her to modify this project in 2015. The positive aspect was that organizers also gave her an amount of Rs 6.25 lakh to promote this innovation in the market.

Devshree has also formed DD Biosolution Technology Company

To expand her work Devashree has registered DD Bio Solution Technology company with the help of  incubation program fund. Today she is trying to develop agro waste and cooking fuel technology through this company. DD Biosolution Technology Pvt. Ltd. was established in 2016 with an aim to provide innovative solutions to social and industrial problems.To meet the challenge of indoor air pollution and end-to-end hygienic cooking solutions for rural women, which allows for an optimized lifecycle converting agro waste into energy. Debashree start-up is one of the few entrepreneurial ventures selected at the start-up center of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bhubaneswar.

Main objectives of DD Biosolution Technology Company:

• To study/identify the specific requirements/needs of people/costumers related to food and drug for prevention of disease.
• To identify social needs.
• To work for environments.
• To identify the agricultural needs of people as per present scenario.
• To help in nano organic firming.
• To process neutriceutical.
• To work for sustainable developments.
• To develop new products through innovations.
• To commercialize those products.

'AGNIS' solved two problems

After getting certification from CSIR-Institute of Minerals & Materials Technology, Bhubaneshwar, Devshree has made three different stoves made of stainless steel - Nano, Single Burner, Double Burner along with 'Agnis' stove. This ‘zero pollution’ cooking stove would cost you Rs. 2,800-4,500. In terms of utility, single and double burners are designed for domestic use while Nano gas is portable. Which can be carried anywhere by keeping it in the bag. All three stoves run on pellet-shaped agro-mass pellets. For which a mixture of agricultural residues, jaggery, lime and clay is mixed in the pellet making machine. The machine produces 300 kg. of pallets within an hour.

The technology of making pallets is certified by CSIR

While mud chulhas use cow-dung cakes, coal or firewood for fuel, this smokeless stove uses bio-pellets made out of agricultural waste. For the above mentioned technique of making pellets, Debashree has evidence from CSIR - Institute of Minerals and Material Technology. Devshree launched this stove in 2019.

Devshree started this unique stove from her village itself

Devashree started the sale of Agnis stove by renting pellet making machine to farmers from her village itself. At the cost of Rs.6, up to one kg of pellets is made which lasts for about 50 minutes. Whatever profit is made from making pellets is distributed among the farmers and Debshree. The villagers have to spend only 120-150 rupees on pellets for this stove which gives profit to the farmers. Now villagers and Debshree are satisfied that this alternate of traditional chulha is showing positive effects on the health of the people.

Agnis' will also move towards urban areas

Seeing the advantages of Agnis stove, Devshree wants to bring its innovation to the cities in future. She says – “Surely this stove will prove to be good for community kitchens, street vendors, schools and small scale hotels, in the past we have sold these stoves to many dhabas in Bhubaneswar itself. Presently the demand for portable stoves has increased, in view of which we are working on such a developing model of stove which is as per the urban needs.

Agnis will reduce global warming: Debshree

Debshree said- "Myself and my team developed Smokeless chulla, Quinoa and Millet dehusking machine.Our smokeless stove is the key for the development of power plant using biomass resources.This smokeless chulla can be used in our rural households and semi-urban areas as there is plenty of biomass available there.This Quinoa and Millet can be the key machine for removal of husk and restoration of malnutrition.We have developed small Quinoa and Millet processing machine for removal of their outer covering which contains saponin for natural shampoo. Farmers can keep this machine in their homes.It can run by solar power.This machines reduce time and cost-effective . Besides all these i am involved in developing nano pesticides and nano-fertilizers. My smokeless chullah is now in the market. If at least 60% people will use this machine it will reduce global warming and reduce pollution."

WHO and UNE program report on indoor pollution

According to the report of the World Health Organization and the United Nations Environment Program, more than 3 billion people globally use coal, kerosene, biomass as fuel for cooking in their homes. Which boosts indoor pollution levels by 22 to 52 percent. Apart from this, the report has also cited stubble burning in the northern states every year as a major cause of air pollution.