Bethany Society, in collaboration with IIT Bombay, distributed eco-friendly vegetable coolers (which operate without electricity) to five vegetable vendors from Laitumkhrah Market and Ïewduh, at the Bethany Society Campus in Laitumkhrah here today.
The ‘Sabjee Cooler’ was designed by IIT Bombay and is commercially available through the startup RuKart.
RuKart has been developing cooling adaptation technology with a focus on developing scalable green solutions that contribute to poverty eradication, affordable and clean energy and economic growth locally.
Utpal Chetia of IIT Bombay said that this cooler can preserve vegetables and fruits for one week.
Chetia explained that the cooler needs only 15-20 litres of water and is also low on maintenance.
He said that the technology is simple and works on chemical technology.
“It has a nano tech structure inside and it does not need any extra fuel, electricity and it only needs water,” Chetia added.
“We hope that if it runs for five to six years they will get some good returns,” he added.
This cooler is already being used in Assam, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Maharashtra.
As many vegetables are highly perishable, vendors end up throwing away plenty of produce. The cooler will keep the fruits and vegetables fresher for longer, thereby reducing waste.
Carmo Noronha, Secretary of Bethany Society, said that it wants to improve the lives of people by using appropriate technology.
Noronha said that Bethany Society is in touch with IITs, so when IIT Bombay developed the sabjee cooler they got in touch.
“This is meant for rural areas where there is no electricity and one of the reasons why they were very interested in it is because across the country the vegetable vendors indulge in distress sales and lose a lot of vegetables since they have a short shelf life,” he added.
Noronha said that the whole idea is whether the rural poor can increase their income and improve their quality of life.
He informed that in this project the North Eastern Council (NEC) to distribute and partly pay for about 1,000 coolers across the region.
Monalisa Kharlyngdoh, vegetable vendor, in Ïewduh, who was one among five who got the sabjee cooler, said that this would be helpful for her.
“We can’t keep vegetables for too long. Either we sell it cheap or throw them away,” Kharlyngdoh said, adding that she jumped at the opportunity to get a cooler when approached by Bethany Society.
