NAME OF THE ORGANISATION : Different eco-friendly projects for sustainable development at Ralegan siddhi , District Ahemednagar , Maharashtra state

DATE OF VISIT : 25 JULY 2011NAME OF THE CONTACT PERSON : Shri Anna Hazare and his followers and villagers

FOCUS AREA : Role of non-conventional sources of energy in development of agriculture industry

Ralegan Siddhi (Marathi: रा�ळे�गण सिद्धी�) is a village in Parner taluka of Ahmednagar District, Maharashtra state in western India. It is located at a distance of 87 km from Pune. The village has an area of 982.31 ha (1991). It is considered a model of environmental conservation. The village has carried out programs like treeplanting, terracing to reduce soil erosion and digging canals to retain rainwater. For energy, the village uses solar power, biogas(some generated from the community toilet) and a windmill.[1] The project is heralded as a sustainable model of a village republic.The village's biggest accomplishment is in its use of non-conventional energy. For example, all the village street lights each have separate solar panels.[2]The village is headed by a Sarpanch who is the chief of the Gram Panchayat (village panchayat).

In 2001, the village had 394 households and a population of 2306 (1265 males and 1041 females).

In 1975 the village was afflicted by drought, poverty prevailed, and trade in illicit liquor was widespread. The village tank could not hold water as theembankment dam wall leaked. Work began with the percolation tank construction. Hazare encouraged the villagers to donate their labour to repair the embankment. Once this was fixed, the seven wells below filled with water in the summer for the first time in memory.[4]

Now the village has water year round, as well as a grain bank, a milk bank, and a school. There is no longer any poverty.

The World Bank Group has concluded that the village of Ralegan Siddhi was transformed from a highly degraded village ecosystem in a semi-arid region of extreme poverty to one of the richest in the country. The Ralegan Siddhi example, now 25 years old, by demonstrating that it is possible to rebuild natural capital in partnership with the local economy, is a model for the rest of the country.

The noted Indian social activist Anna Hazare is the most famous person of the village known widely in India and, to some extent, in the world for his social reforms and movement against corruption by politicians, bureaucrats and others.

ABOUT SHRI ANNA HAZARE :

Kisan Baburao Hazare   pronunciation (help·info) (Marathi: कि न बा�बा�रा�व हजा�रा�, Kisan Bāburāv Hajārē ?) (born 15 June 1937), popularly known as Anna Hazare   pronunciation (help·info) (Marathi: अण्ण� हजा�रा�, Aṇṇā Hajārē ?) is an Indian social activist and a prominent leader in the 2011 Indian anti-corruption movement, using nonviolent methods following the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi.[1][2][3] Hazare also contributed to the development and structuring ofRalegan Siddhi, a village in Parner taluka of Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra, India. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan—the third-highest civilian award—by the Government of India in 1992 for his efforts in establishing this village as a model for others.

Anna Hazare started an indefinite hunger strike on 5 April 2011 to exert pressure on the Indian government to enact a stringent anti-corruption law as envisaged in the Jan Lokpal Bill, for the institution of an ombudsman with the power to deal with corruption in public places. The fast led to nation-wide protests in support. The fast ended on 9 April 2011, a day after the government accepted Hazare's demands. The government issued a gazette notification on the formation of a joint committee, consisting of government and civil society representatives, to draft the legislation

For the year 2011 Foreign Policy magazine named him among top 100 global thinkers.[7] Also in 2011 Anna was ranked as the most influential person inMumbai by a national daily newspaper.[8] He has faced criticism for his authoritarian views on justice, including death as punishment for corrupt public officials and his alleged support for forced vasectomies as a method of family planning.

Anna Hazare is one of India's well-acclaimed social activists. A former soldier in the Indian army, Anna is well known and respected for upgrading the ecology and economy of the village of Ralegan Siddhi which is located in the drought prone Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra state. The erstwhile barren village has metamorphosed into a unique model of rural development due to its effective water conservation methods, which made the villagers self-sufficient. Earlier, the same village witnessed alcoholism, utter poverty and migration to urban slums. Inspired by Hazare’s unique approach of salvaging a hopeless village, the state government has implemented the `Model Village’ scheme as part of its official strategy. Hazare is now synonymous with rural development in India.

NON-CONVENTIONAL SOURCES OF ENERGY :

In India, non-conventional energy sources consist of those energy sources that are infinite, natural, and restorable. For example, tidal energy, solar energy, and wind energy are nonconventional sources of energy. Fascinatingly, the application of tidal energy and wind energy was operational in the form of energy sources long back when mineral oil, coal, and natural gas were not broadly introduced as conventional sources of energy.

In the beginning, windmills were utilized for taking out water and pounding grains. Running water and wind were applied for direction finding. Currently, some of the important and widely used non conventional sources of energy are tides, wind, solar geothermal heat, and biomass comprising animal waste, agricultural waste, and human body waste. For example, disposals from big metropolitan areas can work as a source of producing biogas. All these non conventional energy sources are unlimited or restorable and are essentially quite economical.

DIFFERENT NON CONVENTIONAL SOURCES OF ENERGY :

WINDMILL :

All moving objects contain kinetic energy. The kinetic energy contained in wind is transferred to electrical energy through wind turbine generators.

Wind blows over the Angled blades and results in a turning force. The force will turn the shaft, gear box and generator which are all connected. The gear box increases the rotational speed, enabling the generator to produce electricity. The yaw control would turn the rotor to face the wind.

The wind wheel of the Greek engineer Heron of Alexandria in the 1st century AD is the earliest known instance of using a wind-driven wheel to power a machine.[4][5]Another early example of a wind-driven wheel was the prayer wheel, which was used in ancient Tibet and China since the 4th century.[6] It has been claimed that theBabylonian emperor Hammurabi planned to use wind power for his ambitious irrigation project in the 17th century BC

ONSHORE WIND FARM :

Onshore wind farms continue to make up the majority of wind farms around the world.

OFSHORE WIND FARM :

They are typically constructed in regions with high population densities with few suitable sites. Advantages:• Steady and stronger supply of wind than onshore wind farms, less visual impact, less likely to be affected by height restrictions than hilltop wind turbines. Constraints:• Higher construction costs, subject to water depth restrictions (most existing off-shore installations are in waters shallower than 20 m

BENEFITS:

• It is clean and does not pollute the air. Wind turbines do not emit greenhouse gases or contribute to global warming.

• It does not deplete resources. Every 1million units of electricity generated by a wind turbine can offset approximately350tonnes of coal.

• It is more cost-effective than other forms of renewable energy. As wind energy technology matures, construction and operating costs continue to drop, providing greater cost effectiveness.

• Wind farms occupy large areas:Places with high population densities and land limitation often have difficulty finding the necessary spacefor wind farms

CHALLENGES:

• It is intermittent and unpredictable wind turbine generator outputs are not controllable or predictable. Wind energy alone cannot be relied upon as the sole source of electricity.

BIOGAS :

Biogas is a flammable gas that accurse from the fermentation of biomass into biogas plants.Biogas typically refers to a gas produced by the biological breakdown of organic matter in the absence of oxygen. Biogas originates from biogenic material and is a type of bio fuel. Biogas is produced by the anaerobic digestion or fermentation of biodegradable materials such as biomass, manure, sewage, municipal waste, green waste, plant material and crops. Biogas comprises primarily methane and carbon dioxide and may have small amounts of hydrogen sulphide, moisture and siloxanes. The gases methane, hydrogen and carbon monoxide can be combusted or oxidized with oxygen. This energy release allows biogas to be used as a fuel. Biogas can be used as a fuel in any country for any heating purpose, such as cooking. It can also be used in anaerobic digesters where it is typically used in a gas engine to convert the energy in the gas into electricity and heat. Biogas can be compressed, much like natural gas, and used to power motor vehicles. In the UK, for example, It is estimated to have the potential to replace around 17% of vehicle fuel. Biogas is a renewable fuel, so it qualifies for renewable energy subsidies in some parts of the world. Biogas can also be cleaned and upgraded to natural gas standards when it becomes biomethane.

Biogas is the name applied to a gaseous product released from anaerobic decomposition of different bio-wastes.

In this process, organic wastes are anaerobically fermented by microorganisms.

The gas thus produced contains about 60% methane and 40% CO2.Biogas can be produced from cow dung, leaf litter mixtures, animal excreta particularly dairy cattle, pig and sheep etc.

This is one of the popular treatment methods even for municipal waste, various industrial wastes such as dairy , tannery, fruit processing , pharmaceutical etc.

Biogas is a significant resource of power which accounts for around one third of the total fuel consumed in india , biomass is widely used in households for the purpose of heating and cooling. agricultural waste , charcoal, wood , parched dung are used as biogas in rural area

BENEFITS OF BIOGAS PLANT :

A Polythene Biogas unit can yield a whole range of benefits for their users, the society and the environment in general, the chief benefits being; 1. Production of energy (heat, light, electricity).2. Transformation of organic wastes into high quality fertilizer.3. Improvement of hygienic conditions through reduction of pathogens, worm eggs and flies.4. Reduction of workload, mainly for women, in firewood collection and cooking.5. Environmental advantages through protection of forests, soil, water and air.6. Global Environmental Benefits of Biogas Technology.

DISADVANTAGES OF BIOGAS :

1. Biomass produces greenhouse emissions. The biggest argument against biomass is that it produces carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.2. It takes more energy To plant ,cultivate and harvest the crops and trees than it is worth to get a net energy gain. It also takes up more water from the earth and other fossil fuels to make the fertilizers and fuels for planting and harvesting. it also, supposedly, takes up more land for the crops and trees.

3. Biomass collection is difficult.

There was a man who, in 1979, traveled from Jacksonville, Fl to Los Angeles, Ca on wood he was using in his biomass gasifier attached to a Chevy Malibu. He would travel 1 mile for every pound of wood. Not the most efficient use of fuel.

4. Biomass crops not available all year.

Corn, wheat, barley and the like are seasonal crops. They are not available all year. Trees are also a slow growing resource even though they are renewable. This would also tend to be a negative on the side of biomass fuels.

RAIN WATER HARVESTING :

Rainwater harvesting is the accumulating and storing of rainwater for reuse before it reaches the aquifer. It has been used to provide drinking water, water for livestock, water for irrigation, as well as other typical uses. Rainwater collected from the roofs of houses and local institutions can make an important contribution to the availability of drinking water. It can supplement the subsoil water level and increase urban greenery. Water collected from the ground, sometimes from areas that are especially prepared for this purpose, is called Stormwater harvesting. In some cases, rainwater may be the only available, or economical, water source. Rainwater harvesting systems can be simple to construct from inexpensive local materials, and are potentially successful in most habitable locations.

Roof rainwater may not be potable and may require treatment before consumption. As rainwater rushes from your roof it may carry pollutants, such as mercury from coal burning buildings, or bird faeces. Although some rooftop materials may produce rainwater that would be harmful to human health as drinking water, it can be useful in flushing toilets, washing clothes, watering the garden, and washing cars; these uses alone halve the amount of water used by a typical home. Household rainfall catchment systems are appropriate in areas with an average rainfall greater than 200 mm (7.9 in) per year, and no other accessible water sources (Skinner and Cotton, 1992). Overflow from rainwater harvesting tank systems can be used to refill aquifers in a process called groundwater recharge; though this is a related process, it must not be confused with rainwater harvesting.There are several types of systems to harvest rainwater, ranging from very simple home systems to complex industrial systems. The rate at which water can be collected from either system is dependent on the plan area of the system, its efficiency, and the intensity of rainfall (i.e., annual precipitation (mm per annum) x square meter of catchment area = litres per annum yield) ... a 200 square meter roof catchment catching 1,000mm PA yields 200 kLPA.ld be large enough to carry peak flows. Storage tanks should be covered to prevent mosquito breeding and to reduce evaporation losses, contamination and algal growth.A subsurface dike is built in an aquifer to obstruct the natural flow of groundwater, thereby raising the groundwater level and increasing the amount of water stored in the aquifer. The subsurface dike atKrishi Vigyan Kendra Kannur under Kerala Agricultural University with the support of ICAR, has become an effective method for ground water conservation by means of rain water harvesting technologies. The subsurface dike has been demonstrated to be a feasible method for conserving and exploiting the groundwater resources of the Kerala state of India. The dike is now the largest rainwater harvesting system in that region.

DISADVANTAGES OF RAIN WATER HARVESTING :

1. High Initial investment Costs - The main cost of a rainwater collection system generally occurs during the initial construction phase and no benefit is derived until the system is completed.

2. Regular Maintenance - Regular maintenance, cleaning and repair will be required for the operation of a successful rainwater collection system.

3. Vulnerable Water Quality - The quality of rainwater can be affected by air pollution, insects, and dirt or organic matter. The type and kind of construction materials used can also adversely affect water quality.

4. Storage Capacity Limits Supply - The supply of water from a rainwater collection system is not only limited by the amount of rainfall but also by the size of the collection area and your storage facilities.

BENEFITS OF RAIN WATER HARVESTING :

1. Save money on water bills by using your own water source2. Watering Garden3. No wasting money on water tankers4. No Water shortage due to water cuts5. 24 hours water supply no need to depend on water timings6. Recover installation cost within 2 – 3 Years due to savings in water bills7. Savings of up to 200 liters of water per family in the society per day

SOLAR ENERGY :

Solar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, has been harnessed by humans since ancient times using a range of ever-evolving technologies. Solar energy technologies include solar heating, solar photovoltaics, solar thermal electricity and solar architecture, which can make considerable contributions to solving some of the most urgent problems the world now faces. [1]

Solar technologies are broadly characterized as either passive solar or active solar depending on the way they capture, convert and distribute solar energy. Active solar techniques include the use of photovoltaic panels and solar thermal collectors to harness the energy. Passive solar techniques include orienting a building to the Sun, selecting materials with favorable thermal mass or light dispersing properties, and designing spaces that naturally circulate air.In 2011, the International Energy Agency said that "the development of affordable, inexhaustible and clean solar energy technologies will have huge longer-term benefits. It will increase countries’ energy security through reliance on an indigenous, inexhaustible and mostly import-independent resource, enhance sustainability, reduce pollution, lower the costs of mitigating climate change, and keep fossil fuel prices lower than otherwise. These advantages are global. Hence the additional costs of the incentives for early deployment should be considered learning investments; they must be wisely spent and need to be widely shared".

Solar energy is available as long as the sun shines, but intensity depends on weather conditions and geographic location. Solar energy can be reflected or concentrated by defraction. For example we can focus light rays from sun using a magnifying glass to generate heat and raise the temperature of an object.CATEGORIES OF SOLAR ENERGY:ACTIVE SOLAR: A method specifically designed to acquire energy from sun and move it to where needed including Photovoltaic electric power generation, Solar thermal power generation, Active solar heating using solar collectors. PASSIVE SOLAR: A design that inherently takes advantage of the sun for day lighting and winter heating. TYPES:

• Trough: Uses a long parabolic mirror to focus sunlight on a cylindrical receiver.• Dish/Stirling: This system uses a parabolic dish to focus sunlight on to a receiver containing a piston-based Striling cycle.• Power Towers: Use a field of mirrors to focus intense heat on a large central receiver

ADVANTAGES:• All chemical and radioactive polluting byproducts of thethermonuclear reactions remain behind on the sun, while only pureradiant energy reaches the Earth.,

• Energy reaching the earth isincredible. By one calculation, 30days of sunshine striking the Earthhave the energy equivalent of thetotal of all the planet’s fossil fuels, both used and unused

• Sun does not shine consistently.

• Solar energy is a diffuse source. Toharness it, we must concentrate itinto an amount and form that we canuse, such as heat and electricity

One of the main disadvantages is the initial cost of the equipment used to harness the suns energy. Solar energy technologies still remain a costly alternative to the use of readily available fossil fuel technologies. As the price of solar panels decreases, we are likely to see an increase in the use of solar cells to generate electricity.

A solar energy installation requires a large area for the system to be efficient in providing a source of electricity. This may be a disadvantage in areas where space is short, or expensive (such as inner cities).

Pollution can be a disadvantage to solar panels, as pollution can degrade the efficiency of photovoltaic cells. Clouds also provide the same effect, as they can reduce the energy of the suns rays. This certain disadvantage is more of an issue with older solar components, as newer designs integrate technologies to overcome the worst of these effects.

Solar energy is only useful when the sun is shining. During the night, your expensive solar equipment will be useless, however the use of solar battery chargers can help to reduce the effects of this disadvantage.

The location of solar panels can affect performance, due to possible obstructions from the surrounding buildings or landscape.

AGRO-INDUSTRY :

Agro-processing is defined as set of techno-economic activities, applied to all the produces, originating from agricultural farm, livestock, aquacultural sources and forests for their conservation, handling and value-addition to make them usable as food, feed, fibre, fuel or industrial raw materials. Agro-processing sector has experienced expansion during last 5 decades, starting with a handful of facilities which were mainly operating at domestic/cottage level. The paper provides a summary of the growth history of the sector covering role of R&D, recent trends vis-a-vis crop-wise status of agro-processing industrialization and problems, export trends, SWOT analysis and thrust areas for future for achieving greater role of this sector in the national economy.

Those industries which have either direct or indirect link with a agriculture.` Industries which are based on agricultural produce and industries which support agriculture come under agro-based industries