An innovator of fuel-efficient pumps
Friday December 15 2006 09:38 IST
SIRSI:
Vishwamurthy Hegde is an innovator who has to his credit some unique
products. A low power consuming auto start and a stop hand pump without
submersible motor, recognised by the National Innovation Foundation
(NIF), Ahmedabad, and a luggage tricycle with 8 gears with a capacity
to carry 220 to 450 kg. NIF has recognised and named his hand pump as
�Balekuli pump�.
Vishwamurthy, hailing from Balekuli, a remote
village in Siddapur taluk is a dropout from first year diploma. His
farm house-cum-small residential house in the midst of the forest is
the workshop and his wife Vijayavani and son Krishnamurthy are the
assistant mechanics.
His technology is centred around eco
friendliness, less fuel consumption, and work efficiency at an
affordable rate. He uses old and new parts assembled in the ratio of
50:50. Discarded parts of different old engines, bikes or cars with a
little improvement are blended with new parts in his sample products.
Balekuli
pump is portable and weighs only 16 kg. It is free from maintenance
(free from lubricating). At one stroke it can lift 630 ml of water and
720 litre/hour to a height of 30 metre. It works on 12 volt DC a big
power/energy saver, Hegde said while demonstrating his product.
Normally
a submersible pump needs alternate current (AC) of 200 to 440 voltage.
Above all, this unique pump can lift water from borewell of any depth
without submersible motor and works on 12 DC volts!
The pump can
work on solar energy, LPG, biogas, by pedalling, kerosene and can lift
water from borewells of any depth. It can be used in open wells, tanks,
lakes and can be used for watering fields at low cost.
Another
interesting product of Hegde is eight geared pedalling tricycle with a
capacity to carry luggage of 220 kg in Malnad region and 450 kg in
other places of level land.
It works on attached battery system.
On exhaustion of battery, it works on pedalling and by pedalling, the
battery is recharged automatically. In these days of rising fuel price,
this tricycle is really a boon to many, especially for farmers, feels
Hegde.
Apart from these two, Hegde has developed DTHs which are
hassle free. Solar water heater with drip pipes, solar burner, cooker
burner, solar roasters, mobile antennas etc. For all these products, he
uses discarded items of certain products.
He has participated in
two �Krishi Melas�. In Krishi Mela-2005, organised by University of
Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Dharwad, he presented his views on
�samasyege parihara hudukuva tantrajnana� (technology to find out
solutions to problems)� and in 2006, on �Raitarinda Raitarigaagi (from
peasants to peasants)� and demonstrated his proud product the �Balekuli
Pump� in UAS, Dharwad.
Hegde is available on phone no 9448757078
between 7 p m and 8 p m. Or he may be contacted at Balekuli, Golgod
post, Siddapur taluk, Uttar Kannada district, PIN 581 355. |
