GUWAHATI, July 26 - Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE), Guwahati, and Oil India Limited, Duliajan, recently organized a valedictory function of Oil Urja Fuel Efficient Clean Energy Programme at Balijan and Digulturrung tea estate of Dibrugarh and Tinsukia district respectively. The function was attended by senior officials of Oil India Limited, IIE and the tea garden managers and the beneficiaries.
Through the project, free fuel-efficient chullahs and chimneys were provided to 3,000 households, benefitting approximately 15,000 people of the tea garden community in six locations � Baghjan, Dighalturrung, Thanai, Balijan, Nalani, and Mukalbari of Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts � in a span of one year at a total project cost of Rs.1, 38,44,000, a press release said.
The project which is being implemented by IIE also created 20 local chullah chimney makers/entrepreneurs through training and capacity building.
�Most of the household of tea garden workers use conventional cooking system of firewood on a daily basis and use of this traditional cooking practice creates air pollution, thus causing health problems for the women and their family members. Therefore to address these issues the fuel-efficient chullahs along with chimneys are being provided with the objective of reducing health hazards drudgery of women. This will also reduce use of firewood and other biomass and thereby reducing deforestation,� the release added. The tea workers assembled in the function hailed the initiative saying the move would help the people to a large extent.
