IIT Gandhinagar has been at the forefront of construction worker welfare since its inception in 2008.

The Institute constituted a ‘Shramik Kalyan Samiti’ (Labor Welfare Committee) to interact, educate and help construction workers fight against the pandemic.
And, IIT Gandhinagar volunteer groups regularly sensitize the workers and create awareness about preventive measures against COVID-19, such as frequent hand wash and social distancing. Breathing techniques have been explained to the laborers. All the workers’ colonies are equipped with a first aid box.

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IIT Gandhinagar volunteers are in constant touch with the laborers regarding their essential needs. The CPWD ensures the supply of essential grains and also handles distribution of cooked food in the workers colonies. Two CPWD officials meet and counsel the laborers every alternate day, he said.

Sudhir Jain organises regular meetings with officials of IIT Gandhinagar and CPWD personnel, visits the labor camps and discusses their conditions with construction workers to ensure their needs are addressed.

IIT Gandhinagar under the aegis of Shramik Kalyan Samiti has launched a fundraising drive to provide support for construction workers and their families, while they are confined in the labor colonies due to sudden discontinuity of work.

For every rupee of donation, IIT Gandhinagar is matching the amount to double the funds raised for workers’ welfare.

IIT Gandhinagar is providing free medical support and consultation to construction workers in its medical center.

A free screening test of all workers was done in the workers housing colony. Institute also provides ambulance services to workers needing medical examination or treatment, nearly 20 workers or their family members have utilized the service during the past month.

As workers were facing challenges in recharging their mobile phones due to the lockdown and as it is the only way for them to keep in touch with their family in their hometowns, IIT Gandhinagar is recharging the balance in mobile phone of construction workers with a 28-day validity plan through ‘Shramik Kalyan Samiti.

Professor Gaurav Srivastava, dean (Campus Development), IIT Gandhinagar said the fundraising is being led by their alumnus Mr. Akash Keshav Singh and is being coordinated through ‘Nyasa’ – a student-run social outreach programme of IIT Gandhinagar that engages with construction workers and their families on a regular basis.

The Nyasa volunteers also distributed sanitary napkins to the women in construction workers’ colonies and guided them about the importance of maintaining menstrual hygiene.

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The Shramik Kalyan Samiti has also distributed cloth masks, made with the help of locally trained village women, to the construction workers.

The Laborer colonies and frequently-touched surfaces are regularly disinfected. Institute ensures that soaps and water are available in toilet blocks/washbasins of these colonies at all times.

Hand wash has also been placed in labor camps at various places. Welfare of construction workers on IIT Gandhinagar campus is among the most far-reaching community outreach activities of the Institute.

It ensures that they get pukka housing units with water supply, electricity, LPG connection and clean sanitation facilities.

IIT Gandhinagar has worked closely with CPWD for ensuring this by incorporation of special conditions and drawings in the construction contracts.

All construction contracts include conditions obligating contractors to construct housing units for workers within 60 days of start of the work.

The IIT Council in 2013 had recognized IIT Gandhinagar labor welfare and community outreach practices at IIT Gandhinagar and stated that the exemplary practices of it should be introduced in all IITs and be shared on the IIT Council website.

Its construction workers welfare program was recognized with the national HUDCO Award for ‘Best Practices to Improve the Living Environment 2013-14.

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Designed to monitor the freshness of seafood in real-time by responding to pH changes, the film offers a practical solution for improving food safety and reducing waste.

This film detects the release of volatile amines, compounds typically associated with spoilage, and indicates food quality through visible color changes, say sources from NIT Rourkela.

These natural components make the film biodegradable, safe, and responsive, aligning with sustainability goals and offering a non-invasive way to assess seafood freshness.

Findings

The findings of this research have been published in the journal Food Packaging and Shelf Life in a paper co-authored by Prof. Preetam Sarkar (as the lead corresponding author), along with his research scholars, Mr. Rahul Thakur, Miss Harshi Singhi, Mr. Vedsagar Rajesh Suryavanshi, and Dr. Ravichandran Santhosh.

Other co-authors in this work include Dr. Khalid Gul from NIT Rourkela, Dr. Swarup Roy from Lovely Professional University, Dr. Srinivas Janaswamy from South Dakota State University, Brookings, USA and Dr. Kirtiraj K. Gaikwad from IIT Roorkee.

Fishing

India is the world’s second-largest fish-producing nation, contributing approximately 8% of global fish production, say NIT Rourkela researchers.

It also holds the distinction of being the top five producer of shrimp globally, with frozen shrimp being the top export commodity.

Given the scale and importance of seafood production, innovations that ensure freshness and reduce spoilage are of immense value, say NIT Rourkela researchers.

In this context, intelligent packaging systems, which preserve food while monitoring its quality, are rapidly gaining global interest.

Unlike conventional packaging that serves merely as a protective barrier, the intelligent packaging film developed by NIT Rourkela team offers visual cues about the product’s condition, making it a promising solution for enhancing food safety and reducing waste.

The beetroot peel extract was prepared separately, and then combined with the starch, gum tragacanth, and a small amount of glycerol to cast the films.

These were dried and tested for their pH-sensitivity and effectiveness in monitoring seafood freshness, said Prof Preetam of NIT Rourkela.

Pigments

Beetroot peels contain betalains, a group of pigments known for their bright colours and pH sensitivity, say NIT Rourkela researchers.

These pigments also offer antioxidant and antimicrobial benefits, making them suitable for food-related applications.

Incorporating these natural compounds into the starch-based film creates a biodegradable, safe, and responsive packaging material.

When the seafood begins to spoil and pH levels rise, the film changes colour, providing a clear visual indicator of freshness.

Starch

The choice of Kodo millet starch and gum tragacanth contributes to the film’s biodegradable and eco-friendly profile.

Kodo millet is an underutilised grain with excellent film-forming properties, while gum tragacanth enhances the mechanical strength and flexibility of the material.

The researchers believe that using such agricultural by-products not only supports sustainability but also adds value to food processing waste, such as beetroot peels.

At the laboratory scale, the cost of producing the film was estimated approximately Rs. 900 per kilogram.

When scaled up for industrial production, the cost is projected to range between Rs. 400 and Rs. 600 per kilogram, making it a potentially viable option for commercial use.

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