Transformation of Technology From Assam to Kuchh

Availability of water supplies is not a problem in majority area of country. However, the availability of power supplies in the open range is often limited, so some alternative form of energy is required to convey water from the source to the point of utilization. Traditionally farmers are using diesel engine to lift the water for continuous irrigation or use the electric motor to lift the water from the tube well.

Wind energy is an abundant source of renewable energy that can be exploited for pumping water in remote locations and wind turbine are one of the oldest methods of harnessing the energy of the wind to pump water. The aforementioned technique was used by one of the villagers, Md. Mehtar D Hussain and his brother from Sipajhar area of Assam . The idea and the system he has employed are of great importance and much impressive. The windmill they have designed when properly installed and maintained can serve the purpose of lifting the ground water cost effectively. National Innovation Foundation (NIF, www.nifindia.org ) has awarded this innovation during the 4 th National Award Competition held during the year 2006.

The windmill actuated bore-well pumping unit consisting of a tall tower structure made of two parallel bamboo posts supported by two inclined bamboo posts each. An iron shaft is mounted on bearings near the top of the tower, ends of which rest on the parallel bamboo posts on either side. At the centre of the shaft, a wind turbine with four blades is mounted. The shaft is connected to the tube well handle on the ground through mechanical linkages (crank lever mechanism). As the turbine rotates, due to motion of the wind, the shaft also rotates. Through the mechanical linkages, rotary motion of shaft is converted to reciprocating motion of the lever of the hand pump, which in turn pumps water from the tube well continuously.

While the working principle of the windmill is similar to conventional ones , the use of low cost, locally available material instead of costlier metals for the framework and the direct drive to do automatic pumping of water from the tube well has given it an innovative shape. This entire arrangement is like a portable unit, which can be dismantled in an hour, and then reassembled and connected to a tube well in another location in almost no time. Since the supporting framework is made of bamboo (or any local wood) , the final product costs only Rs 8000/- to Rs.10,000/- which is very low as compared to commercially available windmills. It is an environment friendly product with low initial cost and zero operating cost. It has great relevance in today's energy crisis. Since it is fitted to a tubewell, it meets the needs of light irrigation and potable water too.

Innovator Shri Mehtar Husaain has installed about 10 units in North East region. Looking at the vast potential and relevance of the technology for salt growers of Gujarat, GIAN, Ahmedabad, regional incubator of NIF organized a technology demonstration program of various innovations for salt growers group of VIKAS, Ahmedabad where the they highly appreciated the low cost wind mill developed by Shri Mehtar Hussain and requested GIAN and VIKAS to demonstrate the actual product in the Little Runn of Kutchch. GIAN Ahmedabad coordinated with Assam based partner (i.e. NIF cell North East) and invited the innovator to install the device in Dhangadhra region.

Finally, in first week of January 2008, one unit of low cost wind operated pumping system was installed at Boda Desert area of Little Runn of Kutchch, near Dhangadhra. The performance of the experimental setup has been overwhelming and the farmers have appreciated and shown their interest in buying such units. According to them it is a very cheap and efficient alternative for irrigating saltpans compared to conventional method of lifting ground water through diesel pumps. On an average, for producing about 1000 tons of salt the expenditure is Rs One Lakh of which about Rs. 60,000 to 70, 000/- is spent on fuel (crude oil) alone. Because of limited financial resources, they do not have any buying power. The salt traders exploit them by giving them advances for their recurring expenses and then enter into buy back agreement for salt at a very cheap rate. The result is that after so much of hard work in trying conditions what they get in the end is nothing compared to the labour they put in. The basis detail of system installed is as below.

We are planning to install about 50 to 100 such wind mills in next year. The project is being taken as a pilot project to deeply study the pros and cons of such an installation in the Little Runn. The impact of using this technology is tremendous. We have around 15000 salt farmers in the eighty villages in the Little Rann of Kutchch area, each consuming close to 50000 Rs per season on crude oil, the consumption of which is also a concern for the already sensitive ecosystem of the region. The promotion of the windmill as non-renewable source of energy will help in reducing the pollution levels, earn more profit for the salt growers and contribute to environment protection also. Some of the salt farmers who visited the site were very excited with the results. Sundarbhai suggested that the wind mill would be of great help if could be made multi-directional. Another farmer, Maghabhai already placed an order for a wind mill for one of his salt pan and was willing to spend up to Rs 25000 per wind mill for four of his pans each. VIKAS, an Ahmedabad based NGO who provided initial platform for experiment in Kutchh ara willing to replicate this technology among the salt growers of Gujarat , through win-win business model of users and provides