Photo Courtesy: nenow
Itanagar: Science and Technology Minister Dasanglu Pul opened a geothermal-powered drying plant in Dirang, West Kameng district, on Tuesday. The facility uses heat from the earth to preserve yak meat, kiwi, apples, and persimmons. It cuts waste and helps farmers reach new markets. The Union Ministry of Earth Sciences funded the project, with additional support from the Arunachal Pradesh government.
Technical partners from Norway and Iceland helped build the unit. Norwegian Ambassador to India May-Elin Stener attended the opening alongside Dirang MLA Phurpa Tsering. The facility aims to turn research into local economic gains. Pul noted, "The true success of science lay not merely in laboratory achievements but in bringing positive changes to people's lives."
Pul also pivoted to the state's severe seismic risks. She urged the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences to release funding for the Seismic MicroZonation Project. Arunachal Pradesh sits in Seismic Zone V. It is India's most dangerous hazard classification. Microzonation will map localized earthquake risks to guide safer infrastructure and land planning. Officials believe these steps will move science from the lab to the mountains.
Updated at 11th November 2026 at 2:01am
Pul serves as the chair of the Centre for Earth Sciences and Himalayan Studies. She credited the center's director, Tana Tage, his staff, and Oil India Limited for pushing the project across the finish line. The event also featured attendance from Ministry of Earth Sciences advisor Dr. Jagvir Singh and Oil India Limited executive Soloma Yomdo.
While the geothermal unit functions as a pilot, officials want to scale the tech to other production hubs across the state. The minister suggested that this facility serves as a blueprint for future, sustainable development across the region.
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