GUWAHATI, May 26 � To help reduce tree-felling in Greater Manas, the International Fund for Animal Welfare-Wildlife Trust of India (IFAW-WTI) is facilitating installation of improved cooking stoves in local households in the region. With these stoves installed in 182 households so far, at least 1,000 trees may be saved annually, as fuel consumption is reduced by about one kg per person per day.
The community-based conservation activity is a part of the initiative to �Bring back Manas� to its former glory, under the Greater Manas Conservation Project.
The improved cooking stoves have been installed in three clusters of villages around Manas National Park and reserve forest. Fabricated using local raw material - soil, cow dung, rice husk and iron bars, these stoves are designed to maximize fuel efficiency.
�Our prime concern in providing these improved cooking stoves was to ensure that fewer trees are felled and less wood is extracted from the forests. When we calculated the fuel-wood use before and after installation, we found a reduction of 0.92 kg of wood per day per individual,� said IFAW-WTI sociologist Sanatan Deka.
The stoves have additional benefits as the smoke produced is very less, making it a healthier alternative for these families.
Deepen Goyari, former secretary of the Kahitama Manas Conservation and Ecotourism Development Society, said, �I have not really measured the wood consumption, but I know it benefits my family�s health. The earlier stoves used to give out a lot of smoke, but with these improved stoves, there is no smoke at all, indoors.�
The improved stoves maximize efficiency by reducing heat wastage. One end has an opening for fuel wood while the other end has the chimney that leads the smoke outside the house. With two stove-openings, two dishes can be cooked simultaneously.
�During summers it gets rather hot in this region. As compared to the earlier stoves, this stove proves a better option for cooking as it does not get very hot around it,� added Goyari, who is himself now advocating and helping fabricate these improved cooking-stoves.
