Bandhs inspire new ideas, husk-stove innovated
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 04 2012:
Who says bandhs and blockades are all about disturbance of public tranquillity or scarcity of goods ? They did inspire new and innovative ideas.
True to the adage, "necessity is the mother of invention", a 35 year old man from Imphal West district has successfully invented a new cooking stove which runs on rice husks.
This invention was made in the backdrop of acute shortage of LPG in the State due to frequent bandhs and blockades.
The innovator, Maibam Nandakumar of Heirangoithong Maibam Leikai Keibung demonstrated his invention at the local club in presence of media persons and local people.
It was observed that the rice-husk stove was less efficient that LPG stove.
After doing graduation, Nandakumar studied a computer course for two years.
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He is now running a computer centre at Heirangoithong.
He claimed that his rice-husk stove was smokeless like LPG.
Once fully filled with husks, the stove would burn for around 50 minutes and it burns just like an LPG stove.
The husk-stove is made of a cylindrical tin of 4.5 inch diameter and is fitted with a fan and battery of 12 Volt.
The stove is also fitted with buttons to put off the fire or control its intensity.
One can cook a meal by putting just 700 gms of husk in the stove.
It is equipped with a mechanism to take out ashes without much effort.
Saying that he is planning to market the stove at Rs 3000 per piece, Nandakumar lamented that rice-husks which are the essential fuel for his stove are being thrown away or burnt in bulk as waste material.
On being asked about the objective of his invention, Nandakumar said that he was driven by a compulsion to find an alternative to LPG as the same commodity is either very costly or not available at all during days of blockade which has become something chronic in the State.
Notably, even though there is no blockade in Manipur at present, one LPG re-fill costs as much as Rs 1000 in black markets.