Cusat takes on elephantine task

KOCHI: Guruvayur Anakotta which houses more than 60 elephants has to deal with nine tonnes of elephant dung every day. It is with the help of a contractor that the authorities dispose off the dung by using it for land-filling or some other purpose.

But with the rising environmental concerns it will soon become an issue for the Guruvayur Dewaswom and the State Government to tackle.

Thailand and Sri Lanka have already found a solution to this elephantine problem but not Kerala.Environmental activists and scientists say that unscientific disposal of elephant dung will lead to several health hazards as it doesn’t decompose easily and has a lot of bacteria in it. The fact that several pachyderms are suffering and dying of tuberculosis and even anthrax is another area of concern.

Researchers at the Department of Biotechnology, Cochin University ofScience and Technology (Cusat), have come up with a technology to make paper, rubberised mats and even biogas from elephant dung, thanks to the efforts of plant biotechnologist Padma Nambissan and veterinarian Dr Salim. Padma has developed hand paper from garden plants and dung.

“Six students of the mechanical engineering department as part of their final year project have fabricated a ‘washer’.

This spins the raw dung and separates the slurry and the fibre. The slurry can be used to make biogas and the fibre can be used to make paper, especially newsprint,” says Padma. An MSc student at the Biotechnology department is looking at the bacterial load in the washed fibre to ensure that it is safe to handle.

Dr S Salim, syndicate member of Cusat and a government vet, is helping students in their venture. “We selected the project for the sake of elephants in Anakotta. We have made a prototype of the washer.

This can be set up in Anakotta. The food for the elephants can be cooked using the biogas,’’ says Padma.

“We have developed the technology and are ready to transfer it. But we need somebody to take up the project, either as a corporate social responsibility or a commercial venture. It will be beneficial for elephants and save the environment too,’’ she said.

sudha@expressbuzz.