Latest news with #Jorhat-based
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Science
- The Hindu
Assam researchers find fungal formula to produce biodiesel
GUWAHATI A team of researchers in Assam has found a fungal formula to produce clean fuel from a blend of oils, some edible. The team developed an efficient catalyst utilising 'spent mushroom substrate', a term used for the waste generated after mushrooms are harvested, to produce an alternative to fossil fuel from four different oils – jatropha, neem, soybean, and rice bran – mixed and stirred in equal ratio. The paper explaining the process was published in the latest issue of Bioresource Technology Reports. The authors of the study are Sujata Brahma and Sanjay Basumatary from Bodoland University's Department of Chemistry; Bipul Das from the Chemical Engineering Division of the Jorhat-based CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology; Biswajit Nath from the Department of Chemistry in Kokrajhar's Science College; Rebecca Daimari from Bodoland University's Department of Botany; and Raju Ali, Papia Das, Sharmistha Brahma Kaur, Jonali Owary, and Sandeep Das from Bodoland University's Department of Biotechnology. Assam begins eviction drive to clear encroached forest land on Nagaland boundary According to the study, a new catalyst was synthesised by converting powdered waste substrate of the Ganoderma lucidum mushroom into graphene oxide with the use of ferrocene, followed by its magnetisation and impregnation with potassium carbonate. This yielded a nanocomposite material, which was applied for the trans-esterification of the four-oil blend. Trans-esterification reactions involve the conversion of fats and oils into biodiesel. 'Biodiesel, commonly called fatty acid methyl ester (FAME), stands to fit the need for an environmentally benign and efficient alternative to fossil fuels. It is mainly synthesised by trans-esterification of triglycerides present in vegetable oil and animal fats with alcohol in the presence of a suitable catalyst,' Sandeep Das said. 'A catalyst is crucial for the trans-esterification to produce FAME. Heterogeneous catalysts are mostly recommended as they are easily recoverable, reusable, and inexpensive, with very little wastewater production, making researchers focus on waste biomass,' he said. The study outlined the global expansion of mushroom cultivation because of its rich nutritional content and medicinal benefits. 'Mushrooms are mostly cultivated on various agricultural wastes such as paddy straw, corn waste, sawdust, tea waste, sugarcane bagasse, fruits and vegetables peels, and onion wastes. The spent mushroom substrate or post-harvest waste is either dumped or incinerated and can create a major environmental concern,' the study noted, underscoring the advantages of utilising the waste for energy or fuel production. The researchers also emphasised the importance of blending edible and non-edible oils, including waste cooking oil, to produce biodiesel without triggering an edible oil crisis.
Time of India
7 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Assam university's Rs 30cr guest house turns luxury hotel, stirs row; leased to private firm, faculty, students cry foul
GUWAHATI: An international guesthouse of the state-run Assam Agricultural University (AAU) built at a cost of over Rs 30 crore to host key seminars and conclaves has transformed into a luxury hotel listed on online travel platforms, sparking opposition from student and teacher bodies. Rohika AAU-International Guest House has come up in Guwahati's Khanapara at a veterinary college affiliated to the Jorhat-based AAU. It was inaugurated in 2023 by CM Himanta Biswa Sarma with the promise of advancing academic and research collaboration. However, within a year of its inauguration, the state-of-the-art guest house was leased out to a private firm for a five-year term, subject to renewal every 11 months. The decision, taken by AAU's board of management, was attributed to a lack of trained manpower to manage the facility of such scale, officials said. It boasts 12 VIP rooms, 43 executive rooms, a 40-seat VIP dining area, an eight-seat private dining space, and a conference hall, among other amenities. Student and teacher associations have decried the handover, arguing that property should remain in public control. With the veterinary college on the verge of becoming a full-fledged university, teachers are hopeful that guest house will eventually return to institution's control. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Time of India
12-08-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Assam university's Rs 30 crore guesthouse turns luxury hotel, sparks row
GUWAHATI: An international guesthouse of the state-run Assam Agricultural University (AAU) built at a cost of over Rs 30 crore to host key seminars and conclaves has transformed into a luxury hotel listed on online travel platforms, sparking opposition from student and teacher bodies. Rohika AAU-International Guesthouse came up in Khanapara here at a veterinary college affiliated to Jorhat-based AAU. It was inaugurated in 2023 by CM Himanta Biswa Sarma with the promise of advancing academic and research collaboration. However, within a year of its inauguration, the state-of-the-art guesthouse was leased out to a private firm for a five-year term, subject to renewal every 11 months. The decision, taken by AAU's board of management, was attributed to a lack of trained manpower to manage the facility of such scale, officials said. It boasts 12 VIP rooms, 43 executive rooms, a 40-seat VIP dining area, an eight-seat private dining space, and a conference hall, among other amenities. "Before construction, it was not decided that the property would be leased out. But after construction was completed, it was decided it would be leased out on rent as staff members could not go there (Guwahati) to manage the guesthouse," said AAU registrar Tapan Kumar Gohain. Student and teacher bodies have decried the handover, arguing that university property should remain in public control. With the veterinary college on the verge of becoming a full-fledged university - only a vice-chancellor's appointment is due - faculty members are hopeful that the guesthouse will eventually return to academic hands. "A decision was made to bifurcate veterinary university from AAU. As far as we know, when the university starts functioning, properties will also be bifurcated. Since the guesthouse is on college land, we hope it will come back to the college and later to the university," said Raj Jyoti Deka, general secretary of AAU Teachers Association (Veterinary Faculty).
