Envirofit to tie up with local players

Envirofit India Private Limited, a Bangalore-based clean technology company, is tying up with NGOs, microfinance institutions and local entrepreneurs to market its new range of biomass cooking stoves in Andhra Pradesh.

Speaking at the launch here on Tuesday, Martha Kohlhagen, director (sales), said the company was targeting to have over 40 channel partners and about 600 outlets in three months. It is eyeing a pan-India presence by 2010.

The stoves, manufactured in China, are currently available in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala apart from Andhra. Envirofit also has plans to set up a manufacturing unit in India.

The stoves, developed in partnership between Envirofit and Shell Foundation (UK) to reduce indoor air pollution, which affects 500,000 lives in India every year, would help in reducing toxic emissions by 80 per cent. Besides, it would use 50 per cent less fuel and bring down the cooking time by 40 per cent. The stoves have a life of four to five years, she said.