Ongole: Moved by the problems of farmers, who regularly struggle with weed in the fields, a professor and students of Prakasam Engineering College came up with a tool which is cheap in price but effective in removing the weed permanently.
In the earlier days, the farmers used to hire workers to pluck out the weed from the main crop and pay for the service. As there is shortage of skilled man power due to migration and other reasons, the farmers are forced to use chemical sprayers to burn the weed.
This methodology is affecting the main crop in terms of production and immunity to insects. Spraying of chemicals is also affecting the health by causing cancer, asthma, kidney and urinal related problems.
In order to help in plucking out of weed, Dr M Lakshmana Rao, principal of the Prakasam Engineering College in Kandukur and students of mechanical engineering used mathematical principles of force to design an indigenous tool. The tool can also be used for extra benefits like vertical and inclined plough along with uprooting the weed even from 5 inches of depth.
Dr Lakshmana Rao said that his team has filed for the patent of the tool design. He explained that a simple mechanical principle is behind the design of it.
He said, “This tool is designed on the basis of ‘small effort more work’ rule or 1st lever rule, which the students study in the engineering mechanics subject. In regular conditions, a single person with can remove weed from two acres in a day with this tool. As a regular farm work, it can be managed by a single person irrespective of gender.”
The students, Karthik, Siva Krishna, Lakshmi Narayana of third year B Tech and Prasanthi of second year B Tech explained, “The design of the tool is based on the principle that the distance from the fulcrum can be used to determine how the input and output forces relate to each other. The tool is portable, affordable and easy to carry and handle by the farmers. Besides removing weed, it can also plant vegetable leaves and reduces maintenance and labor cost of farm fields.”
The weed removal tool is constructed with just Rs 1,500, by using two circular pipes welded together in T-shape and two wheels attached to it. A separate pushing mechanism is arranged while circular bars welded to the tool.
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