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As the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) accelerates the deployment of technologies successful Kusunpur, a distant colony successful Odisha’s Kendrapara district, arsenic portion of the ‘Smart Village’ initiative, residents whitethorn soon person alerts whenever crocodiles stray dangerously close to their homes.
The CSIR laboratories are readying to present an artificial quality (AI)-enabled chaotic carnal detection and alert strategy aimed astatine mitigating human-animal conflict. The projected AI strategy is apt to beryllium installed astatine 2 cardinal introduction points to the village.
Kendrapara has witnessed 1 of the worst rates of human-crocodile conflicts successful the State, with much than 20 fatalities reported implicit the past 4 years.
The colony is acceptable to witnesser a broad infrastructure upgrade, including a renovated h2o gross facility, an underground drainage system, a reconstructed assemblage building, assemblage toilets, and a revamped cremation centre. Roads volition beryllium developed utilizing innovative methods, including acold premix technology, discarded integrative roadworthy technology, and cement grouted bituminous mix.
Beyond basal infrastructure, Kusunpur is expected to look arsenic a hub for greenish livelihoods. Over time, the inaugural could make a scope of greenish jobs, portion encouraging section entrepreneurs to research sustainable concern opportunities, thereby enhancing incomes.
Human-reptile struggle successful Odisha: erstwhile crocodiles attack
Aligned with the CSIR’s guiding ‘lab to land’ principle, a suite of technologies has been projected for deployment successful the village. These see adust angiosperm processing, accumulation of value-added crispy fruits done freeze-drying, and the improvement of nutritious nutrient products to combat malnutrition. Other initiatives see biodegradable tableware, small-scale processing units, herbal floor-cleaning liquids, mosquito repellent lotions, and scented candles made from earthy beeswax. Plans besides see the installation of ceramic and block-making machines, village-scale atom and moong dal (green gram) milling units, and a scientifically designed parboiled atom processing unit.
“Over the adjacent 3 years, scientists from 17 CSIR laboratories volition sojourn Kusunpur to guarantee creaseless deployment of these technologies for the village’s wide development,” CSIR-Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) Director Pradeep Kumar Ramancharla, who visited the colony connected Sunday (June 14, 2026), said.
Human-croc struggle impacting beingness successful Odisha
“The cardinal rationale down creating astute villages is to integrate them into India’s maturation story. While India is present the fourth-largest system successful the world, it inactive trails importantly down the apical 2 economies — the United States and China. Bridging this spread volition necessitate contributions from each sectors. At present, municipality centres are the superior drivers of occupation instauration and economical growth, but villages indispensable besides play a captious role,” Mr. Ramancharla said.
Ramanuj Narayan, Director, CSIR-Institute of Minerals & Materials Technology (IMMT), Bhubaneswar, said his laboratory would transportation successful with sustainable h2o filters and smokeless chullahs (stoves) for Kusunpur.
Natural assets mapping, request assessment, and consultations with villagers person been completed, Kishor S. Kulkarni, Principal Scientist, CBRI, and the nodal authoritative for the implementation of the ‘Smart Village’ inaugural for Kusunpur, said.
