Indore: A workshop on “use of solar cookers and solar dryers for Ayurvedic medicines and home remedies” was held at Jimmy McGilligan Centre for Sustainable Development Centre on Sunday.
It was attended by doctors, farmers and a host of other interested people. Among others Prem Joshi talked about his organic farming experience and knowledge and demonstrated the process of Agnihotra and explained its benefits. He also discussed sustainable lifestyle which can make everyone healthier and happier. Centre director Janak Palta McGilligan shared her experience of becoming more sensitive towards organic farming when she saw farmers using harmful chemicals and pesticides in their farms in 2010.
Two pharmacists Vishwamohan Dwivedi and Ankit Mishra of Sambhavana Trust, Bhopal, said that the Trust provides free Ayurved treatment to victims of Bhopal gas tragedy. At the Centre here they experimented on successfully using solar cookers for making the medicines. They said that they have not just learnt to use parabaolic solar cookers but will install them at their centre in Bhopal to save lot of wood, time and money.
Participants, including technologists, dentists, businessmen, youths, students, professors, farmers, homemakers, attended the session. Varun Raheja, intern at Jimmy McGilligan Centre gave a tour to everyone where he showed 13 different types of solar cookers and explained the benefits of using solar dryer which is used to preserve food items. Participants enjoyed solar cooked lunch and folk songs by Pratima Joshi, music teacher.
Centre director informed that from May 19 to 21 internationally distinguished speakers including solar engineer Deepak Gadhia, president, International Centre for Networking, Ecology, Education and Re-integration, Valsad, Gujarat and trustee of Muni Sewa Ashram, Prof Ajay Chandak, PhD, IIT Bombay, founder of PRINCE (Promoters, Researchers & Innovators In New & Clean Energy), Suman Foundation, Dhule, Maharashtra and energy scientist Prof R L Sawhney, former head of Energy School and Environment, DAVV Indore and TERI, Delhi, would be visiting the Centre to enlighten people.