Environmental research

The traditional stove is more inefficient because of loss of heat and incomplete burning of the woods which also require more firewood. Incomplete burning of woods creates the indoor air pollution which contains carbon monoxide, radon and allergens that can induce health effect. In fact, indoor air is often a greater health hazard than the corresponding outdoor setting. Poor indoor air quality can cause or contribute to the development of chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and hypersensitivity pneumonitis. In addition, it can cause headaches, dry eyes, nasal congestion, nausea and fatigue. People who already have respiratory diseases are at greater risk. According to the world health report 2002 indoor air pollution is responsible for 2.7% of the global burden of disease Matribhumi Chulo is a kind of improved cooking stove device that is designed to consume less fuel and save cooking time, more convenient in cooking and creates smokeless environment in the kitchen. Any kind of agricultural residue and other kind of biomass can be used in this cooking stove. The burner and fan attached in stove will helps to complete burning of biomass and reduce indoor air pollution. Fan can be run by electricity or 12 DC volt of battery. Burner inside the cooking stove regulates the fire. Particulate matter of ashes will channel through chimney attached with improved stoves. Efficiency of the Matribhumi chulo is 24 % to 28% compare to traditional open cooking stove which is only 14-18%. The project has aimed to install nealy 350 such stove and demonstrate that these stoves are not only efficient in terms of fuelwood consumption but also users friedly. It also aimed to develop local ICS trainer so that it can be distributed widely.

Nepal