By Hemant Kumar Rout Published: 13th August 2016 – The New Indian Express
BHUBANESWAR: The much-hyped bio-toilets invented by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and installed in railway coaches, public places and colonies seem to have sparked of a controversy with some senior scientists raising voice against the functioning and technology which allegedly uses cow dung instead of imported bacteria.
Developed by Gwalior-based Defence Research and Development Establishment (DRDE) and Tezpur-based Defence Research Laboratory (DRL), both laboratories of DRDO, the bio-toilets, fondly known as ‘E-loo’, use anaerobic microbial bacteria to decompose and convert biological human excreta into usable water and gasses.
Though initially, the bio-toilets installed in high-altitude regions such as Siachen and Ladakh performed as expected for a certain period, now many of them are reportedly abandoned or unused for obvious reasons leading to objections from the armed forces.
While the DRDO said the anaerobic bacteria have been imported from Antarctica and can effectively function in extreme conditions and temperature ranging from -6 degree Celsius to 50 degree C, a group of DRDO scientists claimed that the imported bacteria cannot survive in high temperature.
“Since such type of anaerobic bacteria are abundantly available in cow dung, the cattle waste is now being used in bio-toilets while the research organisation is hoodwinking the people in the name of technology development by wasting crores. Like the bio-toilets, the normal septic toilets also have a perfect anaerobic environment with the only difference being addition of cow dung in the name of inoculum culture in the former,” they said.
According to senior DRDO scientist Dr Y Ashok Babu, who has lodged a complaint with the Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) seeking a probe into it, the imported bacteria worked perfectly well in the laboratory but did not work efficiently in the Siachen region, for which a solar panel heating system was added to accelerate digestion process.
“There is no requirement of specific bacteria in the normal temperature and local bacteria in the septic tank will do the same task more efficiently if cow dung is added to it. The technology is a farce which allows a handful of greedy business people to earn crores of rupees,” the complaint stated.
DRDE Director Dr Lokendra Singh, however, refuted the allegations. He said the cow dung is used only to multiply the bacteria brought from Antarctica, which can survive in Indian conditions. “Actually the cow dung used in the toilets is not the cattle waste but the bacteria which are transported through it. The toilets are working perfectly for which the Railways has given bulk orders,” he claimed.
The DRDO has so far made the transfer of technology (ToT) agreement with 56 companies which are producing bio-toilets at a cost ranging from Rs 15,000 to Rs 75 lakh depending on the volume of population using it and quality of materials.
Singh informed that while already 40,000 bio-toilets have been installed in railway coaches, additional 80,000 toilets are to be installed shortly. Besides, around 20,000 E-loos have been placed in colonies, urban areas and villages. The Indian Railways has planned to install 2.5 lakh toilets in all coaches by October 2, 2019
The answers given by DRDE Director is false and misguiding. I will counter each and every point.
1. The bacteria from Antarctica are extreme cold temperature resistant and are anaerobic (Oxygen hating) producing methane and water as product after eating organic matter (They are called anaerobic methanogens).
2. DRDO used this bacteria to make toilets in Siachen glacier and base camps, where the climate is more or less same as Antarctica.
3. Methanogens are available on soil every but they can not survive in extreme cold condition.
4. Since they can not survive, the bacteria brought from antarcitica was used in toilets developed for siachen.
5. In the toilets they used cow dung as organic matter as the source to feed on.
6. When cow dung is brought to extreme low temperature, all the bacteria naturally present in cow dung die with only Antarctica reaming in it.
7. Cow/ cattle dung is one of the richest source of anaerobic methanogens. Cattles has an organ called rumen which harbours lot of anaerobic methanogens.
……… THIS IS THE STORY OF SIACHEN BIO TOILET
Now coming to false claims of Biotoilet in rest of India.
1. Even though Antarctica sourced bacteria can survive in non cold conditions, but they dont work efficiently at room temperature as well as methanogens present in cattle dung.
2. When Anaerobic methanogens are already existing in cow dung which is fed in bio toilet, it is not possible for little innoculum of Antarctica bacteria to command the place to grow among the abundant cow dung bacteria. Unless until they were killed forcibly by aerating dung.
3. Gobar based gas generation is age old tradition in India which is coming of gobar plant by bacterial degradation of cow dung by methanogens present in the cow dung itself
4. If you connect your own toilet with gobar gas plant, even human fecal matter will be degraded.
5. Is it fun to grow psychrophylic bacteria (COld Loving) in an extremely different temperature i.e 25-40C ditching naturally available bacteria at normal temperature which can efficiently do the same job and doing the same job from decades, without any sceintific nautanki.
6. You can simply make your own back yard toilet as bio-toilet by simply changing take design as per WHO guidelines. Even the backyard toilet is also an anaerobic chamber if properly built. What all you have to do is charge your new backyard toilet with fresh cow dung at bottom and seal the tank and feed some water.
7. The bacteria present in human feces reaching in the toilet is over whelmed by large quantity of bacteria present in cow dung at the bottom of septic tank and fail to grow. With this opportunity, Bacteria present in cow dung of septic tank consume human feces too and release Methane and Water apart some other components.
8. Coming to foul smell, Anaerobic degradation of fecal matter or dung always emit foul smell. Who are they claiming it will not give foul smell. Simply why many people in villages stopped using Biogas generated from Gobar plant stopped using it for cooking food, as they smell.
9. You will get the same smell from Bio toilet as from a big heap of Gobar and no body can prevent it. If some one say it wont smell, they are just fooling people.
In a nut shell they are just fooling public buy doing tuglak science when not required, when their attempts failed to impress Army at siachen for building bio toilets, they are rubbing their toilets under the cover of Nirmal Bharat or Swach Bharat political tools.
Prabhu Sir,
Please prosecute the culprits under the Green Tribunal Act-2010 section 14 (1) of the Act as per the Tribunal shall have the jurisdiction over all civil cases where a substantial question relating to environment (including enforcement of any legal right relating to environment) and make complain to GTA.
Good attempt sir. All the best for your fight. Hope you suceed against corrupt officials
1. Right Mr. Rule. It is a good approach to complaint to National Green Tribunal in the issue of hazardous to human health and environment health.
2. This is very dangerous when the small science becomes demon by publicity.
3. If the microbes brought from Antarctica then the Govt was must be knowing or not? Any body ask in RTI to Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) Udyog Bhawan, H-wing, Gate No-02, Maulana Azad Road, New Delhi -110 011 regarding the import of microbes. If such information not with DGFT then it is totally “Biopiracy” and not followed the quarantine regulation of the country.
4. Have any patent on the microbes? It is not possible in India because all are natural source then where your technology? Then any body can make this bio-digester with cow dung.
As far as I know Dr. Lokendra Singh brought a single species of bacteria I think it was a Clostridium Species…… I wonder how he now claiming a consortium of different bacteria!!! From where he got those consortium!!! Most probably he has enriched some bacteria from cow dung itself and claiming he is using Antarctica. Moreover his ToT holders selling these toilets for 2.5 lakh rupees (Recent L1quote to More Cantt. Board) where as he is bluffing it cost 15 k only. Neither it is maintenance free, if not fed with water nor it is worth the money. Unfortunately this toilet has become a good political too for netas and money spinner for ToT holders
Somebody please ask this man to listout name of each bacteria in his so called consortia.
It is the case of “money looting toilet”. Can anyone tell what are the conditions of those installed Bio-toilet in Lakshadeep, Dhamra and many more – all are fail and might be no existence.
The poor conditions of bio-digetser installed in GT, Mangla and AP Express, all bio-toilet are getting smell and public not like to go the toilet. Sometimes fell that smell is powerful than own toilet.
All bio-toilet are mini Cow dung plants. It is surprised to know that one bio-digester cost 2.5 lakh; simple pepole can not dream it of a white elephant. It is waste of Govt. money.
In the name of Transfer of technology (TOT) only few close vendors of respective scientists and getting tender and profits are sharing. Some scientists are actively involved as a consultant and getting benefit.
Why all the purchase is going by Govt. only and why the poor tax money will siphoning to some personal’s pocket?
If it is Govt. Tender why it is mentioned the DRDO “TOT” holder only can participate in the tender. Why the other vendors are restricted. In the country numbers of proper competitor are there.
If the technology is so powerful then why Indian Army are not purchasing?
Few bio-digesters are putting in the some personal interest from DRDO laboratory budget to public place and some Army camp. Why the defence research budget is using? Because in the name of “Desh seva” some are doing their “own seva”.
Most dangerous and evidence of corruption that the cost of bio-digesters are determining by the scientist as per wishes in case to case basis and curtailing the tender by indirectly by determining who will participate in the tender. Why not CAG objected that bio-digester has no fixed price? How it is allowed to tender?
If our country had imposed the fixed price of all items including the pepsi or coke or juice and mentioned price from plain to high altitude for different size and volume then why not bio-digetser? If Lakshadeep bio-digester having the price only 15,000 and why the same bio-digester price are 25 times higher.
This is only fabrication by the some corrupt official and controlling the price and frankly speaking looting the public money. This matter should come into CAG or the other investigative agencies.