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More SCR trains to feature bio-toilets

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Staff Reporter – The Hindu HYDERABAD:, MAY 17, 2013

The bio-toilet costs about Rs.80,000 apiece and uses uses bacteria to decompose night soil. Authorities plan to install 200 of them in Padmavathi, Ajanta and other trains

After conducting a successful trial run of using bio-toilets in 17 coaches of Hyderabad-Mumbai and Kacheguda-Bangalore Express trains, the South Central Railway (SCR) has now decided to install 200 bio-toilets in a few more trains very shortly.

Bacterial decomposition

Developed by Railway Research and Standard Organisation (RDSO) and Defence Research Development Establishment (DRDE), a bio-toilet, has six compartments and uses Inoculums (bacteria) to decompose night soil.

The night soil from commode enters into the bio-tank, where the inoculums are stored and gets decomposed by the bacteria. The decomposed human soil will next enter into chlorine tank and to get purified. Finally, the out put will be water and gas, said SCR spokesperson.

Onerous task of hygiene

Maintaining cleanliness at railway stations, especially the tracks at stations is always a task. Conventional toilets in trains discharge night soil onto the track, causing unhygienic conditions and corrosion to track and coach fittings, he said.

But with simple design and easier installation in coaches, these bio-toilets help in ensuring zero discharge of night soil on the tracks. SCR had commenced a trail run of using these bio toilets in Hyderabad-Mumbai and Kacheguda-Bangalore Express trains in January and it was found beneficial, he informed.

Each bio-toilet costs about Rs.80,000 and authorities are planning to install 200 of them in Padmavathi, Ajanta and other trains in a few months, he explained.

Bio-toilets with provision to replenish inoculums and chlorine are easy to maintain.

However, these toilets would get choked, if passengers dump bottles, plastic carry bags, cups, napkins etc into it via commode. It would choke the toilet, making it unusable, he added.

Drdo

Another top DRDO scientist denied extension by Modi government

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by Pranav Kulkarni | New Delhi | Published on:April 1, 2015 1:49 am – The Indian Express
Two months after it sacked Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chief Avinash Chander, the government has denied extension to a top DRDO scientist. Bikash Bhattacharya, who was on his first extension as the director of Pune-based High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), retired Tuesday. Besides him, the government in the past six months has denied extension to at least three top DRDO scientists.
While Chander was sacked unceremoniously citing the need for appointing younger scientists, the Modi government has on several platforms made public its intentions to streamline DRDO.
Sources in DRDO said the HEMRL director’s extension was recommended by Chander and was considered by the Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC). It was, however, rejected by the government “about 10 days ago”. Bhattacharya was formerly associated with ISRO.
Bhattacharya, 62, who took over as director, HEMRL on September 11, 2011 was already on one extension after he completed 60 years on March 23, 2013. As per DRDO’s existing promotion policy, two extensions are permitted for a tenure of two years after the scientist completes 60 years, the retirement age.
Bhattacharya is the fourth scientist to have been denied extension by the Modi government in the past six months. Others who were denied extension are directors of Defence Research & Development Establishment (DRDE), Defence Bioengineering and Electromedical Laboratory (DEBEL) and Electronics & Radar Development Establishment (LRDE) — M P Kaushik, V C Padaki and Venkatnarayana Raju, respectively.
The denial of extensions by the Modi government has reversed the trend of the UPA government which was criticised for making extensions a “norm” instead of an “exception”. In 2012 for instance, 11 top scientists were on extension at various laboratories across the country.