RAYAGADA: Bamboo has been integral to rural dwellers of Rayagada district as far as household articles are concerned but villagers of Sindhipanga under Bissamcuttack block have now come up with an innovate use of the plant.
Instead of concrete well rings, they have used bamboo to create safety rings around a dug well. Normally, concrete rings are used to prevent land slide in inner portion of the well but villagers say bamboo rings can be used for the same purpose and cost way less than concrete rings.
This eco-friendly idea was given to locals by district coordinator of an NGO Harsha Trust, Saroj Kumar Sahoo. He said while cement rings for one well would cost Rs 80,000 to Rs 90,000, the bamboo substitute can be prepared with just Rs 30,000 to Rs 35,000. It is an affordable option for farmers who need such wells for cultivation purpose and can last for 10 to 12 years, he said.
Bamboos cut in uniform length can be intertwined with 8 mm iron rods and fixed together with iron wires and a little cement. To prevent the bamboo ring from decaying, villagers have used Neem oil.