GUWAHATI, Jan 4 � Working silently in a flood-ravaged remote corner of the State, innovator Uddhav Bharali, a trained mechanical engineer, has brought laurels for the State once again. He has been nominated by the National Research Development Corporation�s (NRDC) �Meritorious Invention Award� for the year 2009 for his pomegranate de-seeder machine.
Meanwhile, Bharali has innovated a low-cost green tea manufacturing machine that can produce 25 kgs of green tea in three hours� time. The cost of the machine is expected to be within Rs 2 lakhs and it comprises two parts�a steamer and a dehydrating dryer. With this device, Bharali has so far innovated 92
devices.
Talking to this newspaper over phone from his North Lakhimpur residence, Bharali said that he is flooded with orders from the small tea growers to supply the new device. However, he would require some time to get himself prepared for commercial production of the device, which can be operated by three persons and maintains the quality of the green tea intact, Bharali said.
The Feature Group of Companies, which runs the Big Bazaar shopping mall chain, has selected the domestic type of Bharali�s pomegranate de-seeder for marketing. For the purpose, the company has asked Bharali to supply five samples of the device for displaying at its metropolitan malls. The innovator is supplying these samples of the device to the Feature Group shortly.
It needs mention here that pomegranate juice has emerged as one of the most important health drinks these days. A domestic type pomegranate de-seeder will cost the buyer around Rs 3,000, said Bharali.
Each of the green tea producing machines will be available to the buyers at around Rs 2 lakh.
The steamer part of the device can be run with firewood or LPG cylinder. Its de-hydrating dryer removes the water from the steamed leaves and dries them up keeping their green colour intact.
The device developed by Bharali is able to produce quality tea.
Green tea is also regarded to be a fabulous source of antioxidant. Green tea, because of its high production cost is at present priced higher. This has made it unaffordable for the common tea consumers.
This machine is expected to help small tea growers produce green tea without any big factory. It requires only a small room, 1.5hp power, which can be derived from domestic connection.
Some Nilgiri tea planters initially requested Bharali for this device. Now many Assam small tea growers have been placing their orders with him, said the innovator, who could develop the device within a month�s time. He has 53 assignments in his hand.
