Telangana: Students from Adilabad create organic chalk sticks out of rice

Two school students from Adilabad have created organic chalk sticks made out of rice replacing the usual chalks made of gypsum. P Harshit Varma and K Rudra who are studying in the Telangana model school at Bangariguda in Adilabad said that the chalk sticks they have created are chemical-free with no harmful effects.

The gypsum chalks which are used in all the schools across the country create severe health issues due to the dust, especially in lungs and eye irritation. Keeping it in mind, the students came up with an idea to create the chalk stick that is eco-friendly. They used materials like rice flour, lemon oil, neem, natural clay, essential oils, eucalyptus, oregano and also a flower called 'Sampangi.'

Besides, the students also added substances like Jasmine and Sandalwood to bring out a fragrance from chalk sticks.

The students' initiative has been lauded by the school and the two garnered wide attention all over India for their innovation. "Most of the schools in the country use chalk sticks to write and the dust may lead to many health issues like respiratory diseases including asthma which led them to come up with the idea to create organic chalks," the students' said.