Remember the ‘Mera Baba Desh Chalata Hai’
campaign by the Tata Trusts? (link:https://www.tata.com/community/two-bins-life-wins-tata-trusts )
Video link: https://youtu.be/upvzZUHvSqM
The plight of sanitation workers shown in it shocked & disturbed us intensely. This video brings tears to my eyes to see how this reality exists in the India of the twenty-first century. In that India, in which i live and work.
Our endeavour ‘Chakraakaar Lifestyle Solutions’
functions with a vision to develop solutions so that we can live sustainable lifestyles. Our first step in this direction was compact and extremely easy to use biogas systems. We called our solution Vaayu. These were designed primarily for food waste management. We were aware of the fact that in some villages the toilet line used to be connected to gobar gas plants. So we decided to try out biogas on human sewage. In 2018, we designed and implemented it as an experiment. Since then we have made several improvements on it and developed confidence about its functioning. The fact that we can actually address the sewage management problem with such simplicity was a deeply satisfying experience.
The speciality of sewage Vaayu
is that, through this system, the toilet output (Black water) gets processed. The biogas which is generated can be used as a fuel for cooking. And the water used for flushing gets recovered and becomes entirely available for watering. As a result the entire flushing water can actually be used to grow. Grow food, grow trees, grow greenery. Grow beauty. The Sewage Vaayu therefore is not just an energy recovery system but also a water recovery system which solves the sewage water pollution problem at its source. Moreover it requires ZERO electricity to operate plus ZERO maintenance!
(Sewage Vaayu at Our Farm: from where we operate)
In this context when I see this video of ‘Two bins Life wins’ by Tata Trusts,
as also the documentary named ‘Kachra-Kondi’ by Atul Pethe, it makes me realize the urgency to take this solution to the people and create a positive social impact, and solve a man-made problem. I believe, as a social entrepreneur good intentions are not enough, neither is a good solution. What matters is whether the solution translates into social impact.
They say opportunities keep knocking!
Just that we are not prepared. But this time around when opportunity knocked through Econet, we were ready. Through collaboration with Econet we got our first opportunity to install the sewage Vaayu at Nivara Balgruha Jamkhed of ‘Gramin Vikas Kendra’. Along with this, we also set up our food waste management Vaayu with a 15 kg per day capacity.
(Toilet / Swatchhata Gruha at Nivara Balgruha)
With this intervention, this institution, which hosts around 65 students, will be managing its sewage waste completely and food-waste of around 15 kg per day at source.
Benefits of Sewage Vaayu
- Entire Sewage Sustainably Managed
- 11 cylinders worth of cooking gas generated
- 500 litres of bio-enriched water available for farming per day i.e 1.5 lac litres water per year (Their campus can remain green throughout the year)
- 0.6 tons of fossil CO2 offset
(Sewage Vaayu installed at Nivara Balgruha)
Benefits of Food Waste Vaayu
- 15 kg food waste managed sustainably per day (5.4 tons per year)
- 15 cylinders worth of LPG saved per year
- Bio-enriched slurry available for farming
- 0.9 tons of fossil CO2 offset
(15 kg/day Food-waste management Vaayu solution)
Kids will be empowered
with the knowledge of making energy from waste and managing sewage sustainably. This according to me is the most long term impact of this project. Ultimately the problems are in ‘US HUMANS’. Not in the sewage or food waste. WE need to change our lifestyles.
The long term dream
is that the waste management systems of the future will be drainage free. Water is life. Not something we dirty and pollute our rivers with. We cannot afford to dirty our water and expect the local body to treat it and hide behind its inability to do so. Franky i believe its inappropriate technology to bring all dirty water together and treat it centrally. Further its unethical when people lose their dignity and lives cleaning sewers.
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(Involvement of people is the key to sustainability)
Team Vaayu feels immensely satisfied
that we are able to convert our knowledge into solutions to solve social problems. As a social entrepreneur our solution is now out there and has started its journey to create social value. Its the beginning and we are committed to ensure that rest only when the problem stands solved in its entirety.
We look forward to collaborating with dreamers and changemakers to make this dream a reality.
Priyadarshan Sahasrabuddhe
Founder, Chakraakaar Lifestyle Solutions