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The Bhawalkar Story :
In 1973 I graduated in Chemical Engineering. This was the year that the oil prices suddenly went up and signaled the impending oil crisis. The message I got was not to rely so much on non-renewables like oil, coal and gas but to develop applications that harness renewable resources such as biomass. Since conversion of biomass is probably the most effective way of harnessing the solar energy, I decided to make my career in utilizing waste organic resources. My first opportunity was to be involved in the design and operation of an MSW composting project, processing 300 tons per day, for the city of Mumbai (then Bombay). Several such projects were promoted through the federal subsidies. All of these projects ultimately failed because there are no tipping fees in India and sale of compost alone does not make such operations commercially viable. The above project, however, gave me good exposure to the problem of municipal solid wastes and the conventional techniques that are available. The conclusion of this experience, however, was that we need a natural, cost-effective and simple solution which can tackle waste organics in a decentralized way. The solution came to my notice in the form of a two-page article,The Importance of an Earthworm, in the June 1981 issue of SPAN. I was engaged in farming during this period and was already disenchanted with the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. With my background, I could see the earthworm as nature's farmer as well as its composter. Without much help from literature or university study, I started some practical experiments with earthworms using the local species. The results were quite impressive and I started talking and writing about my discoveries. Other farmers, however, were following the guidelines set by the agricultural universities, which neglected earthworms. I was encouraged, however, when the communications department of the University of Poona (Pune) showed an interest in making a video film based on my experience. This department also put a student to work on a Ph. D. in communicating the importance of earthworms to farmers. Several additional films were made by this department that were telecast through the national television network. This awakened the agricultural universities to begin serious research in the field. To develop large-scale engineering applications, I registered in a Ph. D. program at the Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai (Bombay) in July 1987. The Ph.D. was completed in 1996. During this period, I developed the concept which I now call Vermiculture Ecotechnology and tested it in several large scale demonstrations to process solid and liquid organic residuals generated by society and in industries. These demonstrations generated resources for the users, who also paid my consultancy fees by which I sustained my research over the past 10 years. These demonstrations have helped to change the prevailing attitude about organic residuals from one of seeing them as wastes to seeing them as resources. This resource-ful attitude is probably the best motivating factor for change in this area. Environmental regulations, alone, may not be enough. The Central Pollution Control Board, the EPA of India, has now decided to promote vermiculture for solid and liquid waste organics utilization. In addition, several universities have now taken up further research in engineering applications of Vermiculture Ecotechnology. I find through my work in this area that I am involved in a continual learning process. Due to constraints realized in my earlier projects (long commissioning periods of up to a year and a need to further reduce the area and cost of projects) I have refined my process, which I now call the SUJALA process, for wastewater treatment. This process has direct application in ponds and septic tanks, rivers, etc. where conventional earthworm applications are not possible. It can also be used in solid waste applications. I have recently applied the SUJALA process in ponds where intensive prawn culture with brackish water was conducted and found it helpful in controlling viral infections in prawns. The SUJALA process has also been used to improve the functioning of conventional sewage treatment facilities and it was found to reduce odor nuisance and improve the efficiency of treatment without producing any sludge that creates further disposal problems. I have also applied the SUJALA process as a biosanitiser to prevent proliferation of odor, pathogens and pests when garbage gets piled up in the cities. It has also been effective in preventing proliferation of mosquitoes. Over the past 20 years, in my work with industrial waste problems, my focus has been on giving the best possible solution and vermiculture ecotechnology, ultimately, became my choice. Processing of proteinous organics and vermifiltration of wastewaters were the first applications I explored using vermiculture ecotechnology. Now, my recent discoveries have enabled me to upgrade my techniques and water purification with the SUJALA process has become my main focus. I see these recent developments as rewards on the long journey I've undertaken with a strong belief in the unseen world of soil digging earthworms. |
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