Ludh duo build auto unit to turn waste into compost

Time of India

4 days ago

Ludhiana: In an interesting achievement for the city youth innovation ecosystem, two Class XII students Abhishek Dhanda and Prabhkirat Singh have developed an innovative automated vermocompost unit for sustainable waste management.
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Their innovation, Prithvi Rakshak, is a one-of-a-kind, student-led, fully automated vermicomposting unit that uses advanced technology to convert organic waste into high-quality compost, almost three times faster than conventional methods.
The idea first germinated at an innovation event held at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), where the duo initially experimented with kitchen waste and local bio-waste.
Inspired by the potential of vermicomposting but frustrated by its slow pace, they began reengineering the process. "We realised the key to speeding up the composting cycle was in creating optimal conditions for the earthworms, mainly temperature and humidity. That's where sensors, robotics, and AI came in," Abhishek said.
Using AI-driven temperature and humidity sensors, along with a proprietary bioenzyme formula, the students at BCM Arya Model School, Shastri Nagar succeeded in reducing the traditional composting cycle from 60 to 90 days to just 38 days.
Their robotic assistant, VermiDoot, collects and processes organic waste, while their companion mobile app, VermiVeda, helps monitor the system and manage operations remotely.
The unit is also IoT-enabled, allowing real-time data tracking.
They said that their startup has already processed over 12,000 kg of organic waste monthly, generating Rs 1 lakh in revenue and a single unit could scale to Rs 2.5-Rs 3 lakh per month.
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They said the unit also produces vermiwash as byproduct and vermisticks.
"Since we are able to observe the parameters 24x7, and also control them to create the most conductive environment, not only is vermicompost create much faster but also of high quality which has optimal moisture, pH and other parameters, for improving soil fertility," said Prabhkirat.
Their efforts have earned widespread recognition both nationally and internationally.
The students represented India at the IEEE Junior Scientist International Competition in Tunisia, where their work was showcased at Science City. They were also finalists in the Net Zero Carbon Emission Challenge, EcoHackathon Delhi, and Eureka Junior, and ranked among the top 10 in the MESA Business School Pitch Competition.
On the home front, they have been lauded in events such as TechNiche at IIT Guwahati winning Rs 45,000 prize, and cash prizes at WRO Nationals and Eco-Innovators Ideathon as well, they said.
Their innovation was also among the top 35 out of 1.9 lakh entries in the Eco-Hackathon Showcase, an event co-organised by Amazon and the ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC), they said.
BOX
MANAGING & MONETISING WASTE
BRAINCHILD of Abhishek Dhanda and Prabhkirat Singh, Class XI students, BCM Arya Model School, Shastri Nagar
IDEA GERMINATED at an innovation event held at PAU, where the duo initially experimented with kitchen waste and local bio-waste. Inspired by the potential of vermicomposting but frustrated by its slow pace, they began reengineering the process
EUREKA MOMENT Using AI-driven temperature and humidity sensors, along with a proprietary bioenzyme formula, the two succeeded in reducing the traditional composting cycle from 60 to 90 days to just 38 days. Their robotic assistant, VermiDoot, collects and processes organic waste, while their companion mobile app, VermiVeda, helps monitor the system and manage operations remotely. The unit is also IoT-enabled, allowing real-time data tracking
MOOLAH MATTERS Their startup has already processed over 12,000 kg of organic waste monthly, generating Rs 1 lakh in revenue and a single unit could scale to Rs 2.5-Rs 3 lakh per month
BYPRODUCTS The unit also produces vermiwash as byproduct and vermisticks