Wolf voice: “Little pig, little pig, let me come in.”
Little pig: “Not by the hair on my chinny-chin-chin.”
Wolf voice: “Then I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house in!”
This little wolfy’s name is Anish Prasath. He is eight-years-old, studying in Grade Three at Royal College, Colombo 7. He isn’t a ‘gifted child’ like most may think but an aspiring kid with amazing dreams. You might wonder if an eight-year-old could come up with a waste management system. How many of you guys are hoping for a letter from Hogwarts. If fantasy could magically turn into reality, there isn’t any wrong in believing so. Anish Prasath talks to the Junior Observer about his dreams, achievements and future plans.
 |
| Compost bin at Anish's house |
Q: What are your leisure time activities?
A: I like cycling and watching TV. I also like to spend time with my family. And also swimming and playing with Appa.
Q: An alien from another planet is watching people on planet earth carefully. It wants to know about your invention. Can you explain?
 |
| Anish Prasath |
A: My innovation is underground waste management system. My system works on air vacuum technology. Garbage is dumped in three separate bins – recyclable, non-recyclable and bio degradable. Through an underground system the garbage could be carried for the process. Therefore, litter will be off the streets, no air pollution and in accidents like Meethotamulla. Separate facilities are created to make the process easy. The recyclable garbage will be received at MRF (Material Recycling/recovery facility) through an underground tube for the process.
Non-recyclable waste can be received through an underground tube for landfilling. The landfill gas can be processed tobe used as energy. Bio-degradable waste will travel to a biological treatment centre known as MBT (Mechanical Biological Treatment). Finally when the process in the underground tube is completed, the entire garbage meet at high rise complex building, which can be created either on the ground or underground. This will reduce garbage collection traffic, easy to clean and maintain.
Q: Why did you under take this project?
A: An opportunity was given by my College for the Spark '18, an innovation and invention exhibition. So I decided to do waste management system.
Q: Who helped you with this project?
 |
| Anish explainig to the Junior Observer |
A: My parents and my cousins.
Q: Do you follow any particular waste management system?
A: We do compost at home and has thus reduced using polythene and plastic. We take cloth bags and containers for our shopping.
Q: What do you want to be when you grow up?
A: I want to become a secret agent or an astronaut. I want to go to space.
Q: What is your favourite subject?
A: English, because I get full marks most of the time, so, I like it.
Q: Do you do any sport?
A: I do Swimming and karate. I’m also in the percussion band and I learn art as well. In karate if someone hits you, you learn to defend yourself. If not you will get hit.
Q: Do you have any other innovations?
A: Solar panel, rain water harvesting, vertical garden and roof top garden and reverse vending machine.
Q: What is your next idea of innovation?
A: I found that in Dubai, certain restaurants give a phone like machine that would ring when the food is ready. So you can collect it on time rather than having to keep rechecking.
Pix: Ranjith Asanka