Prose
3. Solution to Plastic Pollution (Adopted From The Internet)
1. Answer the following questions in about 100 words each. [2 x 4=8 M]
1) Describe the deportment of Dr. Vasudevan as the Professor of TCE.
2) How did Dr. Vasudevan experiment with plastic waste and what has been the result?
3) How did A.P.J Kalam encourage Dr. Vasudevan and what has been the outcome?
4) List the advantages of plastic roads as described by Dr. Vasudevan.
The lesson “Solution to Plastic Pollution” is an essay taken from the internet. The essay discusses Dr. R. Vasudevan’s research.
Dr. Rajagopalan Vasudevan was born in Tamil Nadu. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science and later obtained a Master of Science Degree. He received a Doctorate in science from the University of Madras. He had been the Professor and Head,Department of Chemistry in Thiagarajar College of Engineering. It was in the year 1975 that he joined TCE. Since then, he had been carrying the Bhagavad Gita as a manual for leading a life. He voluntary conducted classes for students who gathered under the peepul tree, the Shlokas from the Gita. These classes went on uninterrupted for 36 years however,with a striking naman on his forehead,he was mistaken to be a Sanskrit Pandit. He transformed plastic waste into material to be used in road construction.His interest in the subject began when he heard a doctor on TV programme mistakenly saying that plastic “dissolved” in water bodies and caused pollution. So he started mixing some waste plastic in heated Bitumen and in this way a new idea was born.
While on his work , once doctor A.P.J Kalam visited the college. Dr. vasudevan presented his project to Kalam and its potential use as a quoting over the pebbles for laying roads. Kalam told Dr. Vasudevan that one day his test would become convention and not to worry if people don’t approve or get convinced. As a sample, he asked the Professor to lay a plastic road within his campus first once the results are there, people will automatically come.He encouraged him to continue without any disappointment. His words proved Prophetic. Dr. Vasudevan laid the first road 60 feet long plastic road within the Campus.
After a decade’s of hard work and persistence efforts, his invention of simple technology to use plastic waste to lay roads was approved by the centre for its wider applications. Even as his technology is being debated in the government, Dr. Vasudevan started receiving offers from private companies both within and outside the company to sell the patent. Dr. Vasudevan’s ethics and commitment to his nation prevented him from migrating to other countries. He proudly announces that it is his duty to serve his country first and therefore, he gave to the Indian Government.
Dr. Vasudevan said waste plastic could be used as an excellent binder material to develop good roads. The gravel is heated to 170 degrees celsius and shredded plastic is sprayed over the hot stone aggregate. The plastic instantly melts and coats the gravel without releasing toxic gases into the atmosphere. Immediately bitumen heated to 160-degree celsius is mixed at 155-degree celsius and used for laying the road. It yielded two benefits. It reused plastic waste and built durable roads. He has rightly been called ‘Plastic Man of India’.
It serves the twin purpose of increasing the quality of roads and also solving the problems of plastic disposal. The benefits are many. They are (1)Low cost ( using less bitumen)(2) Simple technology(3) Spot used waste plastic(4) Waterproof roads that last up to 60 years(5) Doubling of road Strength(6) Higher Toad Carrying capacity(7) Almost Zero maintenance and(8)A new surface without rutting, cracking or Potholes. His department is now evolving a cold process technology as well such a process would be highly useful in laying roads in cold region. Widener university, Philadelphia, has already shown interest in the cold process .
1200 km of plastic roads in 29 districts of Tamil Nadu in 2005, 1 Km in Madurai. Plans are to lay demonstration roads in Hyderabad, Mumbai Municipal Co-operation, and Tata enterprise, approached Dr.Vasudevan for using plastic waste in laying roads in Jamshedpur.
Thus, with his persistent research in his laboratory, he showed the world a permanent solution as to how plastic waste can use in laying roads.
“Where the willingness is great, the difficulties cannot be great.”
OR
The lesson “Solution to Plastic Pollution” is essay taken from the internet. The essay discusses Dr. R. Vasudevan’s research. He was born in Tamil Nadu. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science and later obtained a Master of Science Degree. He received a Doctorate in science from the University of Madras. He Joined the Thiagarajar College of Engineering as a member of the faculty.
Dr. Vasudevan focused his research on the methods of recovery and reuse of plastic waste. This is how the idea of plastic roads was born. He devised an innovative way of disposing of plastic waste – by using it to build roads.
Though he was a Professor his deportment exhibited that he was a Sanskrit pundit. He always carried the Bhagavad Gita in his hands and quoted many Shlokas to his students while teaching. Once he presented to Kalam his project and its potential use as a coating over the pebbles for laying roads. Kalam said that one day his test would become the convention. Kalam’s words proved prophetic. Dr. Vasudevan laid the first road 60 feet long plastic road within the campus. He succeeded in presenting an efficient. an economical, and environmentally friendly solution to plastic waste. It yielded two benefits. It reused plastic waste and built durable roads. Thus, he has become popular as the “Plastic Road Man.”
Thus, he showed the world a permanent solution as to how plastic waste can be used in laying roads.
