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Students unveil sprayer that runs on solar energy

Thursday, 13 June 2013 05:16 administrator
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The Hindu               13.06.2013

Students unveil sprayer that runs on solar energy

Innovators:Students of the PDA College of Engineering showcasing the solar powered multi-utility sprayer in Gulbarga on Wednesday.—photo; arun kulkarni
Innovators:Students of the PDA College of Engineering showcasing the solar powered multi-utility sprayer in Gulbarga on Wednesday.—photo; arun kulkarni

: Final year students of Electrical and Electronics Engineering department at the PDA College of Engineering here have come out with a cost-effective and time saving multi-utility sprayer that operates on solar energy.

Varikuti Vasantha Rao, Sharanakumar Mathpati, Uma Kariyannavar and Veena Rani, under the guidance of Basavaraj Amarapur, assembled a back-mounted sprayer that can be continuously operated for nearly four hours after being charged for six hours. The solar panel mounted on top of the tank carried by the person on the field would continue to be charged during the operation also.

Varikuti Vasantha Rao, explaining the working of the sprayer, told presspersons here on Wednesday that the sprayer, including the solar panels, can be assembled at less than Rs. 6,000, which is a one-time investment and would benefitfarmers, who could avoid expenditure on fuel. The sprayer can be used for spraying pesticides, fungicides and fertilizer.

He said farmers could easily spray pesticide or fertilizer in more than six acres of land in a day.

Mr. Rao said it could be used for painting as well. A fully charged sprayer could spray up to 575 litres at a time. Another added advantage of the sprayer was that it could also be operated on battery during rain and cloudy days.

Mr. Rao said the sprayer was a modified model of the two-stroke petrol engine powered sprayer which was being used by farmers. The students had replaced the two-stroke petrol engine with a single DC motor, which can be operated by electrical energy stored in the battery attached to the unit.

Head of the Electrical and Electronics Department P.K. Kulkarni and principal of the college S.S. Hebbal have congratulated the students.

 

App brings MC, people together to make city green

Thursday, 06 June 2013 12:17 administrator
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The Times of India               06.06.2013

App brings MC, people together to make city green

LUDHIANA: The MC has decided to join hands with residents to ascertain places where they can plant trees in the city, with the help of an app called "Suggest a tree spot". With this, residents will be able to suggest a spot to the MC to plant trees in different areas for the preservation of the green cover.

With the trees being felled every day, residents want the civic body to concentrate on supplementing greenery. As for the civic body, it is in agreement. "Suggest a tree spot" is a smartphone app which will allow residents to take pictures of the place where the MC could plant trees. After receiving the pictures, the app will tag the locations on Google Maps and upload the information, along with details of the user.

Suggestions made by city residents will be compiled and forwarded to the local municipal authority, which can use the information for tree plantation drives. Users can also give information on the number of trees that need to be planted.

Elaborating on the app, its creator, Jaskirat Singh, CEO of the company that designed the app, said, "With the green cover dwindling every day, it is necessary for people and the MC to plant trees. Cutting of trees in city and plantation of trees outside the city as an alternative is not a solution. This app will help people to become even more attentive about identifying places where trees can be planted."

One major advantage of the move is that it will make city residents attentive about the places where trees can be planted. This way, the potential of land will be optimally used. According to additional commissioner Isha Kalia, "We want to make people understand that we want to work for their benefit and need their help. To make it more convenient for residents, we are planning to merge this app with the original MC app, Ludhiana Municipal Corporation Citizens' Reporting and Mapping Tool (LMCCRAMAT)."

Meanwhile, there has been good response to the application. The site received 20 posts within an hour of its launch on Wednesday. "At least, now we will be more attentive about the greenery around us. We can also keep reminding authorities of the need to plant trees in the city instead of planting trees alternatively in other areas outside the city," said Harkeerat Singh of Civil Lines. 

 

Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation's unique scheme to encourage jute bag usage

Thursday, 06 June 2013 11:58 administrator
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The Times of India               06.06.2013

Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation's unique scheme to encourage jute bag usage

HYDERABAD: Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) commissioner M T Krishna Babu on Wednesday launched a novel scheme 'Sanche Bangaram' to dissuade people from using plastic bags at the Kukatpally Rythu Bazaar.

Citizens can buy jute bags and win gold worth Rs 1 lakh. The GHMC has taken up the scheme in coordination with the Kukatpally Rythu Bazaar management and a non-governmental organisation.

According to the scheme, a gift coupon would be given to a person who comes with a jute bag to the Rythu Bazaar.

The shopper has to drop the coupon in a box. "A draw will be held at Rythu Bazaar on July 15," the GHMC commissioner said.

The lucky winner will get Rs 1 lakh worth gold. Based on the response to the scheme, the GHMC would rope in private companies to organize such schemes at Rythu Bazaars and shopping malls in the twin cities.

 
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