DIY Torch & Zero-Electricity Water Pump: 5 Simple Innovations for Post-Flood Kerala!
Since it will take Kerala at least a few months to get back on its feet, here are some innovations that can help the people, in the meantime.
The time has come for the people of Kerala to unite and channel their efforts towards rebuilding their lives and help the state return to normalcy.
Since it will take Kerala at least a few months to get back on its feet, here are some innovations that can help the people, in the meantime.
1. Potable water
Water is a basic necessity, and unfortunately, many will find themselves searching for a reliable source of drinking water in the current scenario.
But what if you had a simple technique to purify water, and that too using solar energy!
For this, you will need two plastic bottles of the same dimensions, a PVC pipe to fit through their caps and glue.
Stick the caps of the bottles from the top (allow the bottles to be screwed to the caps, so they stand on top of each other). Drill (or punch) a hole through the caps, so the PVC pipe fits in it perfectly. Fix the pipe in a way that it goes in through one cap but doesn’t fully come out through the other.
Pour contaminated water in one bottle, screw it with the cap that doesn’t have the pipe and screw the other bottle on the other cap. The PVC pipe will be inside the empty bottle.
Keep this ‘life straw’ under sunlight and allow the sun to do its job for a few hours. Only pure water will evaporate and settle in the empty bottle, giving you clean water to drink.
2. A water pump that doesn’t require electricity
Since the floodwaters might have damaged your electric water pump or its motor, transporting water from tanks to homes might be a pertaining problem. However, Vijaya Kuruppu’s invention might just be a saviour.
This water pump that doesn’t require electricity can be made at home and is already in use for collecting water, in addition to being used in fields. It uses fuel from a motorbike or kinetic energy from a bicycle in place of electricity. Here’s how you can make one:
1. Take the rotor, or impeller—the fan-like device that moves the water in motion—and put it in a metal frame.
2. Take out the coil inside the impeller, placing it vertically in the frame with the impeller.
3. Connect a pipe and a foot valve to the frame and place this device near the water well or tank.
4. Fill water in the foot valve. Connect a water hose to it.
5. Place your bicycle or bike in such a way that its rear wheel touches the rotor and sets it in motion.
6. Keep your cycle/bike on the main stand, gear up and start peddling/accelerating so the rotor is set in motion and water begins to pump.
GiveIndia and The Better India have come together to help Rebuild Kerala by supporting 41,000 affected families. You too can be a part of this movement and help us raise funds for the NGOs working to rehabilitate these families. If all of us come together with a small monthly contribution, we can make a real and meaningful difference in helping restore normalcy to those who need our help the most.
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3. DIY Torch
At times when there is no electricity, you will need a torch to find your way through your house. In fact, it is highly recommended that for the first couple of weeks, you scrutinise every nook, cupboard and shelf carefully, as insects and snakes might have taken refuge there and you do not want to risk a sting or a deadly bite.
Here is a TBI article about how you can make a low-cost torch at home.
In case you need a candle-like light for a short time, simple crayons can come in handy! Here’s how.
4. Phone charger
Mobile phones often save the day when it comes to critical situations, and the Kerala floods were no exception. If you find that your battery is low and electricity is still a no-show, you can make your own phone charger!
Functional and easy to make, these DIY chargers had helped flood victims in Chennai in 2015. Read how you can make one here.
5. Bedding
It is highly recommended that you throw away any bedding that was affected by the floodwaters. But then, how will you sleep at night?
Well, here’s a trick I learned at trekking camps!
Take a large bedsheet and fold it in half. If you have access to a needle and thread, you can sew two sides of the sheet. If not, staplers or glue will also work. Stuff the bedsheet with clean clothes and blankets that you won’t be needing.
You can shut the fourth side of the bedding temporarily by folding it with a thin margin and securing both ends with knots. This way, you still have access to clothes.
GiveIndia and The Better India have come together to help Rebuild Kerala by supporting 41,000 affected families. You too can be a part of this movement and help us raise funds for the NGOs working to rehabilitate these families. If all of us come together with a small monthly contribution, we can make a real and meaningful difference in helping restore normalcy to those who need our help the most.
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(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)
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