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Centre of Science for Villages (CSV)

In an interview with Built Constructions, Dr. Soham  Akhilchandra  Pandya, Executive Director, CSV shares how Centre of Science for Villages (CSV) successfully integrating innovative and eco-friendly methodologies to improve the lives of people in rural areas.

Basic need of mankind is shelter food and clothing. In the field of Housing Centre of Science for Villages (CSV) has been working with main thrust on use of locally available raw material and use of local man power.

CSV started functioning in 1976 by its founder director Late Dr. Devendra Kumar from the premises of Maganwadi in Wardha from where Mahatma Gandhi began the All India Village Industries Association (AIVIA) in 1934 and Dr. J. C. Kumarappa gave shape to Gandhian concept of Rural Economy. CSV is then registered independently in 1984. CSV is a NGO registered under Bombay Public Trust act 1950. The idea behind the centre was a place, which could act as a transfer of technology centre and be a bridge between the portals of National Laboratories and doors of the Rural Mud Huts. It was evolved in consultation with the top scientists and planners at the National level. From last three decades CSV is working on Rural Technologies, specially doing research, training and run demonstration projects on optimised innovative technologies. Rural Housing & Sanitation, Non Conventional Energy, Ecology, Environment & Agriculture, Rural Industries, Women Technology, Training & Extension of Modern Science have been the focus.

The CSV Approach

CSV offers solutions as a 'Total Sanitation' through the management of management of human waste, animal waste, agricultural solid waste, waste water, rain water harvesting etc.

 "Village sanitation, an area of great personal concern to Mahatma Gandhi, was always a high priority area of CSV too. However, CSV decided to take a plunge into it, only after doing its home work.  Having been steeped in the indigenous village culture, the CSV group knew the strengths as well as the weaknesses of the villager's psyche, besides the reality of the rural water supply situation," says, Dr. Soham Akhilchandra Pandya, Executive Director, CSV.  They knew the users habits as much as the inhibitions and difficulties of the first generation sanitation. They also realized that the farms which were starving for nutrition would benefit tremendously by a possible recovery of manure from this source. They were fully convinced that community latrines would continue to be unattended to and rejected as a concept. They brought all the above consideration to bear upon the choice of design and method of implementation, by giving centrality to the following three objectives-  Low on water, high on hygiene, Manure regeneration, Uninterrupted functioning.

Sanitation Park

A Sanitation Park is installed with all practical models of toilets, eco-sanitation, composting, waste water management & solid waste management etc by the CSV.  The whole campus is covered with rainwater harvesting systems in which demonstration of roof top rainwater collection, recharging of borewell and well innovative technology demonstration to various percolation systems of rainwater, Nala bunding etc. Campus is full with various floriculture & organic fruit plantation. Campus is located in between Vinoba & Gandhi Ashram. Sant Vinoba's Ashram is 3 km & Mahatma Gandhi's Ashram is 7km away from the CSV campus.

Rural Industries

CSV works towards promotion of village industries in the areas of Banana Fiber Paper Technology, Artisan Division (Pottery division, Carpentry; Blacksmith; Masonry etc.)  Food Processing, Forest Produce (Rock Bee Honey; Gums and Resins; Tuberous Crops; Medicinal Herbs; Non Edible Oil Seeds; Natural Dyes; Fibrous weeds), Fabrication Division (Agricultural Tools; Improved Bullock Cart) Other employment generating activities (Fabrication of Water Filter. Agro waste Gasifier; Sheetal Pot) Organic Farming inputs (Compost; Herbal Pest repellents; Emitter Irrigation System; Modern Nursery)

 Banana grows in abundance in Wardha region and normally the plant after harvesting the fruits is thrown away, unutilized. CSV has developed a process of making paper and hard boards from banana plant stem on a village scale.

"For solar energy, CSV worked as Regional Training Centre for Ministry of Non Conventional Energy Sources Govt. of India. Based on our long experience and technical expertise we promote basic Solar equipments like - Solar Cookers, Solar PV Street Lights, Solar PV Lantern, Solar Water Heater, etc.," he adds.

New Biogas Technology

Carbon and SO₂ Free Biogas Plant: Traditional biogas plant is mainly dung based but New Biogas Technology (Balaji Biogas Plant) can use any solid biodegradable material like grass, straw kitchen waste etc. can be used. This biogas plant is used as batch type plant, initially feed with cow dung, then there is regular discharge of gas for long time (5-6 months). But these materials have to be replaced after 5-6 months.

• Purity in the Gas: The Balaji model consists of de-sulphurizer to absorb the unwanted sulphur compounds (H₂S, SO₂). This will help to show that biogas is odorless gas.
• All other wastes (except Plastic, highly acidic and basic materials) can be feed to this Balaji plant.
• This plant does not required daily water addition.

Electricity Generation through Biogas operated Generator: Specially designed biogas plant which runs on Agro, Human & Animal wastes of the village to produce Methane Gas i.e. this gas is used as a fuel of specially designed electricity generator. Electricity generated through this system will electrify the whole village with the help of all types of waste material from that village itself.

Honey Collection: CSV team is working on open air wild bees i.e. Apis dorsata (Rock Bee) and Apis florea (Small bee). Apis dorsata contributes 80% of the total honey production. Being ferocious by nature and residing in inaccessible places they are undomesticable; therefore their scientific handling was not tried earlier. To substitute the traditionally adopted crude methods of burning, smoking and squeezing the hive that leads to the massive destruction of the honey bee colonies endangering the species. 

The CSV team has trained around 25000 honey hunters from Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, Tamilnadu, Karnataka and Himacdhal Pradesh.

Ecological Science & Technology Division (ESTD): Ecological Science & Technology Division (ESTD) of CSV is doing research, field trials, field extension, training, publications and policy intervention in the following fields:

Watershed Management: ESTD, CSV has worked as mother NGO for the Maharashtra State Government to train Watershed Development Team (WDT) members of various Program Implementing Agencies (PIA).  In that capacity it has carried out work in 135 micro watersheds of six districts of Vidarbha (Wardha, Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Nagpur, Bhandara & Gondia).

• Controlling soil erosion
• Stalling water runoff in the fields and forests: This is done by making Continuous Contour Trenches (CCT), Loose Boulder Structures (LBS), Farm and Forest Tanks, Cement Plugs, Earthen Dams etc.

Organic Farming: ESTD has network of at least 2,000 farmers who are doing organic farming in their own farms. ESTD is introducing following technologies amongst them. Introduction of new crops: ESTD has introduced several new plant species as cash crops for farmers of drought prone areas.

Composting: NADEP, Biodung, Four Pit Vermi Compost, Bio-dynamic preparations etc. are techniques available with the division for farmers who are practicing organic farming.

Bio Fertilizers: Production of Azatobactor, Rhizobium, Tricohderma and other microbial preparations is taught to farmers for practicing organic farming.

CSV works as technology resource centre and implementing agency with following Govt. dept. and NGO's

• Ministry of Rural Development, Govt. of India
• Science and Society Division of Ministry of Science & Technology, New Delhi
• Regional Training Centre for appropriate rural technologies, programme was sponsored by Council for advancement of people's action and rural technologies (CAPART) New Delhi.
• CSV Training Centre is Associated with UNESCO, New Delhi and UNESCO, France for Rural Technology. Under this programme we have trained Engineers, Architects, Artisans & women of SARRC Countries
• Training programme for women participants on sanitation was arranged for prize owner villages of Sant Gadge Baba Gram Swacchata Abhiyan's 33 dist. of Maharashtra State. Programme was sponsored by UNICEF, Mumbai in the co-ordination of Water Supply and Sanitation Dept. of Govt. of Maharashtra.
• Monitoring & evaluation work of DRDA projects, which is under the control of ministry of rural development Govt. of India, New Delhi.
• We have a Rural Building Centre in collaboration with HUDCO, New Delhi
• Worked with  National Institute for Rural Development (NIRD), Hyderabad (A.P.) as a technologist for Rural Technology Park at NIRD, Hyderabad (A.P.)
• With the help of Science & Society Division, Ministry of Science & Technology, New Delhi we have "Women Technology Park" at our centre. This is the first Women Technology Park in India. We are able to insist the importance of installation of Women Technology Park which will help the SHG groups in selecting various production units. These production units will help marketing and entrepreneurship. Members of SHG will be trained in this park. This work is done to generate employment through the appropriate low cost technologies.

Micro Enterprises

Food Processing: Processing of natural food stuff is introduced amongst women SHGs for preservation, product diversification and value addition. Work on more than 50 plant species has been carried out by the division.

Medicinal & Aromatic herb Processing: Simple methods of preservation and product diversification are introduced amongst farmers and women's SHGs so that they can get good value of their products.

Natural Dyeing: In the forest there are several dozen plant species which impart brilliant colors to cellulose fibers and cloths made from them. Extensive work is being carried out to introduce these techniques amongst neo entrepreneurs.

Women Technologies: Technologies are introduced amongst women for achieving following objectives:

• Drudgery reduction
• Promotion of Health and hygiene
• Generation of rural enterprises
• Resource management

CSV - As a Training Centre

An independent training Centre of CSV is established in the year 1995 which carries out various training programmes which were sponsored by Government of India, several Foreign Agencies like UNESCO, UNICEF, UNDP, KVIC, etc.

During the last three decade of its working CSV has established itself as a pioneering institution in its field of activity and is well represented in various national and international forums. Many of the techniques evolved are gradually reaching the masses through other voluntary agencies, the representatives of which, from all over the country get training in appropriate technologies at CSV.

CSV urges all, who believe in the principles for which it is working, to join their helping hands. Dr. Pandya says, "Scientists and technologists can do it by sparing their time and efforts to come to stay for some period and to work for CSV. Those involved in rural work can link themselves with CSV and transfer the techniques evolved. CSV encourages all who have a feel for the lot of the poor in the land and want to improve their lives by taking the benefits of technology can join hands in bringing a new order where social justice and ecological balance would prevail."

CSV's methodologies

CSV has followed the seven progressive steps in its work of evolving new rural technologies which are ecologically sound and lead to social justice.

• Identification of Focus Action Areas
• Critical problems/difficulties requiring Science & Technology (S&T) solutions.
• Generation of new work avenues through use of local resources.
• Upgradation and optimization of traditional skill and knowledge system to meet present day need.
• Search out for Option: To interact with S &T based R&D institutions to find out available technological solutions for the above with a view to select viable alternatives.
• Research Project: On the basis of the above information, research projects are undertaken to make the technologies viable and replicable under village conditions.
• Extension: The successful technology evolved through field research is tried out in a number of villages to evolve a model for its dissemination.

Aims and Missions of CSV

CSV aims to work towards a holistic and futuristic development of the small community based decentralized village economy. To develop and demonstrate appropriate rural technologies which are ecologically sound and socially just.  Also, to develop the village and arrest the erosion of its talents by promoting rural non-farm activities through developing economically viable new occupations and modes of production with interaction between S & T Labs and village mud huts, to enable the scientists to interact with the rural realities and learn from the accumulated knowledge in the village tradition.

In the near future, CSV plans to provide a forum to rural innovation with specialists and experts in science and technology, to provide them with necessary S &T inputs to optimize their innovated processes and products. In addition, CSV will undertake adaptive research and training to mould the available technology according to the local condition and skill level & train people who could take it to the villages.

About Dr. Soham  Akhilchandra  Pandya

Dr. Soham Pandya hails from a family which has devoted their life for establishing Gandhian principles of Truth and Non Violence. He is a student of Biotechnology. He did his M.Sc. from M. S. University, Baroda and Ph.D. from Sardar Patel University, Vallabh-Vidyanagar, Anand, Gujarat. He completed British Council sponsored Certificate Course for "Natural Resource Managers" at Center for Developmental Studies, Swansea, Wales, U.K. and attended a Certificate Course in "Basic Computer Application for Managing Natural Resources" at Wye College, London, U.K.

At present he is Executive Director of a voluntary organization Called "Centre of Science for Villages" (CSV), Dattapur, Wardha. CSV works in the field of Housing, Sanitation, Renewable Energy, Village Industries, Agriculture and Forestry. Dr. Soham Pandya is engaged in research, field trials, field extension, training, entrepreneurship development and policy interventions.

Dr. Soham Pandya has introduced a range of Appropriate Technologies (AT) and Methodologies which are Ecologically Sound; Economically Viable and Socially Just. These technologies are related to i) Organic Farming ii) Land Cover Management iii) Watershed Management iv) Forest Resource Management v) Habitation Creation Using Locally Available Construction Material i.e. Mud and Bamboo vi) Total Sanitation for Solid and Liquid waste management vii) Renewable Energy viii) Village Industries and ix) Entrepreneurship Development

As Principle Investigator, Dr. Soham Pandya has implemented more than dozen scientific Project funded by Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Women and Child Development, CAPART etc. As Mother NGO of Maharashtra Government (Ministry of Agriculture) and Program Implementing Agency (PIA) of Watershed Management Program he transferred a range of AT in 220 villages of Vidarbha, Maharashtra.