 "Mahatma's Charkha to Generate Electricity")
The humble charkha or spinning wheel, a symbol of Mahatma Gandhi’s civil disobedience movement, will also generate electricity besides spinning cotton in a model developed by an innovator.
The wooden Charkha has now been customized into an ’e-charkha’ by
Hiremath, a Bangalore-based engineer who has been active in the field of non-conventional energy resources, has now customized the wooden Charkha into an `e-charkh'.
According to the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), Pesident Pratibha Devisingh Patil will formally inaugurate the modified instrument Nov 19.
“The new charkha has maintenance-free lead acid battery fixed at its bottom, which functions as an inverter. Spinning the charkha for about two hours will give backup power for about six-seven hours of basic lighting and playing radio,” KVIC said Wednesday.
KVIC chairperson Kumud Joshi said: “The charkha will be a boon to the spinners, who would be able to experience the fusion of economic activity with the pleasure of music while working on the e-charkha.”
The cost of the model is approximately Rs.3,000. The KVIC is getting ready to induct 200,000 pieces of e-charkha at Khadi weaving centres across the country.
“Spinning of khadi yarn will no more be a monotonous work,” a KVIC official said.
Authorities said the effort would go a long way in providing electricity, entertainment and clothes to people in remote areas.
