The Indian budget every year has always been an eagerly awaited event. For many decades, the best minds in economics, finance, tax, business and industry throng the media house to analyze the provisions shared by the Financial Minister.
Sometimes major events completely disconnected may be data points for the plans of the different powers around the world. The challenge is to discern what purpose they serve? More critically, what are we moving towards?
When the US Ambassador threatened India's "Strategic Autonomy" policy over India's friendship with Russia - much more than meets the eye was at stake. Let us unpack how the Ukraine war has fundamentally changed the US and the world. And why are we here anyway?
A new kind of portable toilet has been created by Eram Scientific Solutions Ltd based in Thiruvananthapuram. It is already in use in Kerala, and could serve as a model for such toilets all over the country. What are its features?
Built with stainless steel/fibre to withstand corrosion, it can be programmed to accept either Re 1, Rs 2 or Rs 5 denominations. After payment, the door of the unit unlocks and the light and exhaust fan are switched on automatically. After the user enters it, the closet is doused with 100 ml of water. In case it isn’t flushed after use, the system automatically does the cleaning. This is an intelligent toilet too. If the usage is for less than three minutes, the system flushes with 1.5 litres of water. If used for more, it flushes four litres. “There are plans to reduce this to less than three litres,” says Varghese. Normal toilets consume seven litres for a single flush. The water tank can store up to 500 litres of water and pump water from an additional source in emergencies.
It is intelligent and can turn human waste into biological charcoal, mineral, clean water and even electricity! They are expanding in the rest of the country as well. Understandably, a toilet of this type would cost more to build than a typical portable toilet, and this difference would, therefore, be reflected in the portaloo hire price.
“Commercial production started in 2010 and today, some 400 units have been installed under the aegis of local bodies and government departments. We also have pilot installations in Noida, Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka,” says Manohar Varghese, director, Eram.
They have also received a grant of Rs 3 crore from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as part of the ‘Reinvent the Toilet Challenge’.
One hopes to see such toilets everywhere in India. This really is the answer to solve the Peeing in Public Issue.!
The Indian budget every year has always been an eagerly awaited event. For many decades, the best minds in economics, finance, tax, business and industry throng the media house to analyze the provisions shared by the Financial Minister.
When the US Ambassador threatened India's "Strategic Autonomy" policy over India's friendship with Russia - much more than meets the eye was at stake. Let us unpack how the Ukraine war has fundamentally changed the US and the world. And why are we here anyway?
This visit of India left me with many questions. Many observations and inputs from different people and sections. Food for thought that I have tried to contemplate on and make sense of. Sharing all that with you.
When you analyze the last 60 years of the economic miracles of Singapore, South Korea and Malaysia versus the continued impoverished Indian economy, you get very interesting lessons. Can Indians have the wherewithal in them to do in one generation so that the coming generations may rise?
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