“What if LPG and electric supply stop for a day?” Every year, the consumption of LPG in India increases. Last year in 2020, usage was 4.3
per cent higher than earlier. Using traditional stoves has been substituted with LPG cylinders. Today, most people hesitate to use traditional stoves because of the thick smoke they emit. Eventually, smoke leaving a trail again brings an enormous question of worry about the environment.
Keeping the limited resources in mind and the health of the environment, Abdul Kareem from Kochi, Kerala had this thought last year in lockdown and invented a smokeless eco-friendly stove – Rocket stove, which uses coconut shells, waste paper, and other dry waste for the combustion.
For 40 years, Abdul has been manufacturing boiler furnaces and many industrial materials in his company. Abdul says. “My stove doesn’t use wood or kerosene for its burning. Coconut shells, paper, or any dry waste can be used for its combustion. “
He adds, “Not only cooking food, but we can use it as an oven, water heater and for many other household purposes”.
This advanced stove curbs nearly 80% of smoke emissions. Thus, Abdul calls his product an eco-friendly, smokeless stove. He says, “As the stove uses combustible dry waste materials, it is also an effective method to dispose of all available waste such as coconut shells, paper, and more.”
Ecopapple Rocket Stove is a multipurpose product in many models. As per the variance and purpose, the price ranges from Rs. 5,500 to 27,000. The base model is Rs.5,500. The second model costs Rs.6,500, while the others cost 10,000, 120,000, and more. A chimney stove is also available where a pipe is placed outside the kitchen for the smoke outlet. Abdul says, “His stove is a one-time investment with 25 years of guarantee. I would see no problem for a long time, at least 10 years except its craft. ” Most stoves need maintenance and fitting, even a separate area for their placement, but my product is more mobile as one can travel with it easily and no fitting is required. It can be packed and taken along for a picnic or at other locations easily. It is a useful model for places where electricity and LPG are used more frequently, such as hospitals, hotels, and other places–to reduce carbon footprints.”Says Abdul.
With many models available, Abdul Kareem has sold over 300 units in the Kochi district of Kerala. Ecopapple recently received an award for its invention by IIT Guwahati.
Abdul passionately says, “My product is more eco-friendly and comes on a low budget compared to the LPG stoves we use. It will help people with low budgets or poor ones who still use kerosene and wood for cooking. ” Abdul wants to encourage people to use such a product because it conserves resources and is useful for daily waste management. The stove maker says, “I also wish to sell my products at a low cost to the needy.”
Where now all the orders come within Kerala, Abdul wants to increase his sales all over India in the future. “As it is light and portable, it can be couriered anywhere,” says Abdul. He also said that there are more variants in the pipeline and one is soon to be launched.
Written By: Stephen Christian