This boy’s innovations protect people from cancer

February 6, 2019 Innovation Valli Sarvani No comments

While his counterparts are busy playing video games and sharing selfies on social media, this 16-year-old boy is busy developing innovative solutions to several problems of the country.

Naisargik Lenka from Odisha is preparing for his Class X board exams in a local school. At the same time, he is also working on innovative solutions.

He wants to become a social entrepreneur. He achieved National Child Award for his innovations.

Naisargik interacted with the PM after receiving the award.

When the government announced its Swachh Bharat Abhiyan initiative, Naisargik developed a smart toilet model, Swachh APT with an aim to save water in toilet.

The smart toilet can be operated with the help of even a basic mobile. This system flushes the toilet automatically after the use and also can recycle the toilet wastewater to be used again for flushing.

Naisargik also developed a method to treat municipal wastewater using green algae. Though it is not completely a new idea as several researchers from across the globe are experimenting with the idea, this young boy is equally able to experiment with the method.

Microalgae culture also can be used for biofuel production including bio-fuel and bio-fertilizer.

Chromium mining is quite common in some areas of Odisha. As a result, the soil and water are contaminated.

It leads to several health hazards including asthma, respiratory problems and kidney diseases. Around 30 lakh people in this area have developed cancer.

Naisargik’s notable project is finding remediation to that. He has been working on the project for the past 1.5 years.

His bioremediation method helps treat the carcinogenic hexavalent chromium released due to chromium mining.

It is treated with a bacteria known as Anabaena Cyllindrica which can keep it immobilized. Moreover, this indigenous strain of bacteria prevents the chromium from entering the food chain. Thus, he saved several people from being victims of cancer.