ETP Based on CSIR-NIIST Tech for Desiccated Coconut Units Installed

KASARGOD:
A state-of-the-art Sustainable Bioenergy based Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) for treating waste water discharged by desiccated coconut industry (DCI) based on technology developed by Thiruvananthapuram based CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST) was installed at a coconut processing unit here today, coinciding with World Coconut Day.

Sreekala S, Chairperson, Kerala State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), inaugurated the ETP plant set up at M/s. Vittal Agro Industries here, while Dr. Anandharamakrishnan C, Director CSIR-NIIST, presided over the function.

Speaking on the occasion Sreekala said the pollution caused by the effluents discharged by desiccated coconut industry was flagged by KSPCB years back. Congratulating CSIR-NIIST for coming up with a sustainable ETP technology to address this issue, she expressed the hope that other units in the sector would also set up ETPs wherever that was missing.

Dr. Anandharamakrishnan noted that ETP set up at the unit will encourage similar industries to come forward and adopt it.

NIIST is looking for more industries in the wastewater treatment sector to come forward to license the technology for its widespread implementation by the coconut industry in Kerala and neighbouring states. This is one of the major mandates of CSIR-NIIST, he added.

The custom-designed plant has capacity to treat nearly 60,000 litres of effluent discharged by the unit daily. The plant will treat and recover 500 cubic metre biogas and 50,000 litres of reuse quality water from the effluent.

About 150 desiccated coconut units operate in South Indian states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, each processing nearly 1 lakh nuts per day. The discharge of malodorous high-strength wastewater by them can cause serious environment, social and public health issues.

Unlike the conventional wastewater treatment methods which are not effective to treat the high oil and fat containing DC industry effluent, the sustainable and innovative Bioenergy based technology developed by CSIR-NIIST can bioprocess, recover bioenergy (biogas) and reuse quality water from the effluent.

”The high-rate anaerobic treatment technology named Buoyant Filter Bioreactor” (BFBR), which is US Patented (US 6592751), is developed for complex and organic-rich wastewater.
This technology has already been commercially applied in units such as rice mills and cream factories. Recently, a team of scientists at the NIIST Environment Technology Division customized the technology for the DC industry.

The model ETP was financially supported by the Technology Mission Division of Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India. The Coconut Development Board (CDB) and Kerala State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) also supported the development of the model.

Dr. Ajit Haridas, former Chairman, KSPCB and former Chief Scientist, CSIR-NIIST delivered the Keynote Address, while Prof. Vincent Mathew, Vice Chancellor-Central University of Kerala, was the Guest of Honour at the function.

Dr. Sheela A M, Member Secretary, KSPCB; Dr. Madhavan Nampoothiri K, Chief Scientist, CSIR-NIIST and Chairman, Project Review Committee: Secretary, Kodombelur Grama Panchayat and S Kamath, Managing Partner, M/s. Vittal Agro Industries delivered the Special Address at the function.

Dr. C Kesavachandran, Chief Scientist, CSIR-NIIST delivered the Welcome address, while Dr. B Krishnakumar proposed the Vote of Thanks at the inaugural function. Dr. G V Raghunath Reddy, Scientist, DST, Deepthi Nair S, Director (Marketing), CDB and Dr. Vipin Chandra Shukla, Head, CRTDH – DSIR were also present online.