Solar Dehydration Technology | Uttar Pradesh | 25 Feb 2025

Why in News?

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur has developed a new Solar Dehydration Technology, with the aim of increasing the income of farmers and reducing crop wastage.

Objective :
- This technology facilitates drying of fruits and vegetables through solar energy . It is an efficient and sustainable method.
- Its objective is to increase the income of farmers and reduce crop wastage .
- Farmers can preserve their crops for a long time using this technology and sell them when they get a fair price.
Benefits :
- Solar dehydration is an eco-friendly method that saves energy and has a positive impact on the environment.
- Using solar energy reduces the need for conventional energy sources, thereby conserving natural resources.
TRAINING PROGRAMS :
- Under this initiative, 30 farmers have recently been trained in solar dehydration technology.
- They were given a live demonstration of pre-treatment and solar drying of tomatoes, so that they can apply this technology in their farming.
Collaboration:
- National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has played a crucial role in this project.
- Additionally, in partnership with the Food Processing Department of CSJM University, it has developed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and quality protocols for this technology.

NABARD is an apex bank for agriculture and rural development.
It was established on July 12, 1982 by an Act of Parliament based on the recommendations of the Sivaraman Committee.
Its function is to provide credit flow for the promotion and development of agriculture, small industries, cottage and rural industries, handicrafts and other rural crafts.
Along with this, the sustainable development of villages is to be done by providing support to other related economic activities in rural areas.

The Uttar Pradesh government issued a press release to clear the doubts about the purity of Ganga water in the Maha Kumbh 2025.

About the issue :
- Claim of purity of Ganga water :
  - The press release was issued in reference to the data of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) , in which doubts were raised over the quality of Ganga water in the Maha Kumbh .
- CPCB Report:
  - The CPCB report had said that at the beginning of the Maha Kumbh, the Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) of water at Sangam was 3.94 milligrams per litre.
  - On 14^th January, it was 2.28 mg per liter and on 15^th January, it decreased to 1 mg per liter.
  - However, on 24^th January, the BOD increased to 4.08 mg per litre and on 29^th January, it was recorded at 3.26 mg per litre.
- Research by Dr. Ajay Kumar Sonkar :
  - Padmashree Dr. Ajay Kumar Sonkar dismissed doubts with scientific evidence to prove the purity of Ganga water.
  - He collected water samples from various major bathing ghats of the Maha Kumbh and examined them microscopically.
  - They found that despite millions of devotees taking bath in Ganga water, there was no growth of bacteria in it.
  - No drop was observed in the pH level of water either.
Presence of natural viruses :
- Ganga water contains 1,100 types of natural viruses, called bacteriophages, that eliminate harmful bacteria.

The CPCB was constituted as a statutory organisation in September 1974 under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 .
Thereafter, the Central Pollution Control Board was entrusted with powers and functions under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
The Board also provides technical services to the Ministry of Environment and Forests under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 .
The main functions of the Central Pollution Control Board are described under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 .

The amount of oxygen required for the biochemical decomposition of organic matter in water is called BOD .
The amount of water pollution is measured through BOD. But only biodegradable matter can be detected through BOD and it is a very long process. Hence BOD is not used in measuring pollution.
It is noteworthy that high levels of BOD means that more oxygen is required to decompose large amounts of organic matter present in water.