Agartala: A tweet of young Indian Forest Service Officer Parveen Kaswan about the unique bamboo made water bottle, an innovation of Bamboo and Cane Development Institute (BCDI) here, went viral across the globe after Bollywood heartthrob and model Raveena Tandon placed order of it's procurement from Tripura Rehabilitation and Plantation Corporation (TRPC).
Overwhelmed with the response from Tandon followed by many others about the products, Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb thanks to the artisans and the scientists involved in the innovation and said, "This is considered as a contribution towards PM's ambitious Atma Nirbhar Bharat. And, Raveenaji's encouragement will surely boost the morale of the local artisans. As a sign of gratitude, we will make sure the product reaches you soon".
He tweeted,
Retweeting Parveen Kaswan Raveena Tandon said, "Just ordering mine! Have you?"
Immediately, the product went viral across the globe, which encouraged TRPC to go for commercial-scale of production ? not only the bamboo made water bottle, also, the
other beautiful household items, said tribal welfare and forest minister Mevar Kr Jamatia.
According to report, with the effort of Forest Research Centre for Livelihood Extension(FRCLE), the scientists of BCDI here had developed the products two years ago but launched formally by the Chief Minister Deb about six months ago. A large number of local artisans involved in the value addition task under FRCLE were encouraged after BCDI designed the unique bottle after central government put a blanket ban on single-use plastic.
"This is the first hygienic and Leak-proof innovation with a concept, designed and developed by us," said BCDI head here Dr Abhinav Kant adding that to prevent fungal growth, odor, and leakage they have devised a solution by not allowing water to come in contact with bamboo and inserted a barrier of glass, steel and copper.
Besides, bamboo made a unique water bottle, both FRCLE and BCDI have designed a large number of household items and handicrafts by bamboo and non-timber forest produces.
The officials here said that the head of FRCLE here Dr Pawan Kaushik has been working on cultivation and promotion of different verities of bamboo over a decade along with hundreds of indigenous plants of the region.
With the dedicated effort of Dr Kaushik, bamboo cultivation and it's value addition become a sustainable livelihood option for more than 5000 tribal families in different parts of Tripura today. Along with cultivation and promotion of bamboo and other minor valuable forest produce of Tripura, FRCLE has been recognised as a hub of such finish products, which had also drawn the attention of the state government.
The officials of TRPC said the outer shell of the bottle is done with bamboo and the copper inner lining being done to prevent fungus and all these procured locally. They are also manufacturing flasks which will cost around Rs 1300 for 750 ml. TRPC has been expecting an order for 600 bottles from the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussorie.(UNI)
