Rural folk have a new product to look forward to. As is well known, indoor pollution is one of the major causes of ill health and high mortality rate in the hinterland. The enhanced cook stove could go a long way in reducing its impact if marketed in the right manner and made available across the country.

Developed by the National Environmental and Engineering Research Institute (Neeri) and christened‘Neerdhur’, this multi-fuel domestic cook stove is supposed to be super efficient, saves 50 per cent of fuel, has high thermal efficiency and reduces cooking time.

Its USP is that besides wood it can consume several fuels including coal, cow dung, charcoal, biomass and other agricultural residue. Designed as a hybrid with technology innovations, it uses much less fuel with lower emissions.

Neerdhur has also been extensively tested in the lab and field for user’s perception and acceptability. The cook stove has also been approved by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy on the basis of itsperformance testing conducted by Improved Cook-stove Test Centres. Above all, it is now certified to meet the newly developed cook-stove emission standards by Bureau of Indian Standards.

According to reports, there has been positive feedback from women on its use and efficacy and a majority of those who used it are willing to switch over to this multi-fuel contraption which is better for their health.

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