Eco-friendly colours to brighten Holi

The College of Home Science at the Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU) has developed eco-friendly Holi colours made from natural ingredients, to encourage Holi revellers to give up using synthetic powders harmful to the skin and the environment. Natural powders have no chemicals, are biodegradable and do not pollute water.

Two tonnes of eco-friendly colours in five shades have been produced through a natural dye processing method at the university. To prepare the orange, pink, yellow, green and blue shades, natural sources and plants such as annatto seeds, Tagetus erecta (Banthi poolu) Indigofera tinctora (Neeli chettu poolu), and Beta vulgaris, are being used; maize starch is used as the base material for all colours.

The natural colours have been produced under the supervision and guidance of Dr R Geetha Reddy, principal investigator and deputy director (Home Science), and S Sirisha Deepthi, co-principal investigator and assistant professor, Department of Apparel and Textiles, College of Home Science, PJTSAU.

The Telangana State Pollution Control Board (TSPCB) sanctioned `1 crore for the dye paint production unit and `45 lakh for other equipment.

Dr Geetha Reddy said the unit has been established in the Rajendranagar premises of the agricultural university and PJTSAU has spent `5.10 lakh on the project encouraged by its vice chancellor, Dr V Praveen Rao.

“The Eco-Holi powders were standardised in terms of brightness of the colour, sticking quality (on skin), fineness of the powder, easy removal from the body and free from heavy metal content,” Dr Reddy said.

The natural colours are available at the College of Home Science at Saifabad, Hyderabad as well as at the natural dye production unit situated (near PG&RC), Rajendranagar.