India's first saline water lantern, which uses the seawater as the electrolyte between specially designed electrodes to power the LED lamps, has been launched further boosting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's UJALA scheme launched in 2015 for the distribution of LED bulbs across the country.
The first-of-its-kind lantern named Roshni was launched by Earth Sciences minister Jitendra Singh during a visit to Sagar Anveshika, a coastal research vessel operated and used by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) in Chennai.
The saline water lantern is expected to bring 'ease of living' to the poor and needy, particularly the fishing community living along the 7500 Kilometres long coastal line of India.
Roshini lamps, along with the power ministry's schemes like Solar Study Lamps, will be driving a vibrant renewable energy programme aimed at achieving energy security, energy access and reducing the carbon footprints of the national economy.
Singh pointed out that this technology can also be used in hinterlands, where seawater is not available, as any saline water or normal water mixed with the common salt can be used to power the lantern, which is not only cost-effective but very easy to operate.
He lauded the NIOT team for inventing the Roshini lamp and advised them to transfer the technology to the industry for mass production of this multipurpose lamp which can be of immense help in rural and remote areas and in times of disasters.
In response to PM Sh @narendramodi’s #HarGharTiranga call, Tricolour reaches atop “Sagar Anveshika”,Research Vessel Ship at #Chennai Harbour, managed by National Institute of Ocean Technology.Crew as well as scientific fraternity join in celebrating India's ocean resources. pic.twitter.com/X20ngGGqp1
— Dr Jitendra Singh (@DrJitendraSingh) August 12, 2022
Later, the minister, along with the MoES Secretary M Ravichandran, visited the laboratories and hoisted the tricolour on board the ship. Extending the campaign of 'Har Ghar Tiranga', to 'Har Jahaj Tiranga', Singh hoisted the Indian flag on board the vessel. He also met the senior scientists of NIOT onboard the vessel and reviewed the progress of the implementation of the Deep Ocean Mission of India.
Reviewing the progress of NIOT developed Low-Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) technology for conversion of seawater to potable water, which has been successfully demonstrated in Lakshadweep islands, he informed that three desalination plants based on the LTTD technology have been developed and demonstrated at Kavaratti, Agati and Minicoy Islands of Union Territory of Lakshadweep. The capacity of each of these LTTD plants is 1 Lakh litre of potable water per day.
Ravichandran apprised the minister that, based on the success of these plants, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) through Union Territory (UT) Lakshadweep has entrusted the work of establishing 6 more LTTD plants at Amini, Androth, Chetlet, Kadmat, Kalpeni and Kiltan with a capacity of 1.5 lakhs litres/day. The LTTD technology is found suitable for Lakshadweep islands where the required temperature difference of about 15⁰C between sea surface water and deep-sea water is found in the vicinity of Lakshadweep coasts only as of now.
The cost of a desalination plant depends on a number of factors inter alia which include the technology used and the location of the plant. The total cost of the six LTTD plants in Lakshadweep islands is Rs. 187.75 crores.
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