BARC senior scientist’s knack of bringing scientific solutions to field appreciated

Speaking to DTNext, he said that the Union government had been stressing for cleaner India through ‘Swachh Bharat’ mission and his method of scientifically managing the municipal biodegradable solid wastes had helped in achieving a clean and healthy environment. Nisargruna coverts biodegradable solid wastes into energy and organic natural manure. He had further approached all the southern state governments for establishing BARC’s innovative cost-effective sewage dry sludge hygienisation plants. Chellappa was also the ‘Technical Coordinator of Central Expert Group’ that visited the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant. 

He had successfully addressed the apprehensions of the local people, media and other stakeholders about the mega Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project and enabled restoration of normalcy and smooth construction and commissioning of India’s first 1000 MW power plant. 

The eminent scientist had also contributed for the development of farming and farmers. BARC had developed 42 high-yielding varieties of oilseeds, pulses and so on, and they were known as Trombay varieties (T-series). Many Trombay variants were popularised and launched by Chellappa in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. 

Blackgrams TU-40 & TU-94-2, Green-gram TT-401 and Groundnut TG37A cultivation were some of the varieties that were launched. The nuclear scientist had spotted and solved a perennial problem that had been bothering the Nellai blackgram growers as well as the state agriculture authorities who suffered from the dreaded disease caused by Yellow Mosaic Virus (YMV). 

He had successfully demonstrated the total YMV resistant character of Trombay TU-94-2 in state government’s seed farm in the Tirunelveli district and gave solution to the disease. Chellappa was also instrumental in implementing BARC’s filed trials of bio-pesticide formulations for Greater Chennai Corporation in controlling mosquito menace and in controlling the spread of diseases.