~ 216 ~ The Pharma Innovation Journal 2020; SP-9(10): 216-219 ISSN (E): 2277- 7695 ISSN (P): 2349-8242 NAAS Rating: 5.03 TPI 2020; SP-9(10): 216-219 © 2020 TPI www.thepharmajournal.com Received: 12-08-2020 Accepted: 15-09-2020 R Prabhavathi Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University, Advanced Post Graduate Centre, Lam, Guntur- 34, Andhra Pradesh D Anitha Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University, Advanced Post Graduate Centre, Lam, Guntur- 34, Andhra Pradesh, India Jyothi Vastrad Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University, Advanced Post Graduate Centre, Lam, Guntur- 34, Andhra Pradesh, India Corresponding Author: R Prabhavathi Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University, Advanced Post Graduate Centre, Lam, Guntur- 34, Andhra Pradesh, India Design and development of protective gear for Chilli destalkers R Prabhavathi, D Anitha and Jyothi Vastrad Abstract Destalking of dry chilies is a process followed at the trader’s level to improve the colour and quality of chilli powder. Women are engaged in this manual activity who not only face health issues but encounter injuries to hands and fingers due to the dry pricky stalks of chillies. Information on the period of work, output and health issues were elicited with the help of specially designed questionnaire developed for the purpose. 50 women were involved in the study. The survey results revealed that the destalking operation is done from four to six months in year spending 5-10 hours per day by 44% of them, with an output of more than 6 kg per day by 64%. 82 per cent indicated that they feel burning sensation in hands and fingers which they overcome using fine jute thread to wrap fingers. Sixty per cent had irritation in nostrils due to pungency, pain on fingers (48%), and eye irritation (46%) respectively. Based on these survey results hand gloves were designed different length, using cotton fabric and knitted fabric and in style with quirks and without quirks. Design features were evaluated by the experts for their suitability and glove without quirks received higher response. Keywords: Chilli destalkers, irritation in nostrils due to pungency, pain on fingers Introduction Chilli is one of the prime commercial crops of India. In Andhra Pradesh this crop is being cultivated on commercial basis larger areas with higher yields and revenue. In terms of exports, it stands first among other states. Among thirteen districts of Andhra Pradesh, Guntur is prominent in growing chilli in an area of 66,896 hectares with production of 1.2 lakh tones (Velayyutham and Damodaran, 2015) [4] . Farm men and women are involved right from sowing to harvest and storage of the crop. Among all postproduction operations, destalking is one of the important operations that is done for maintenance of quality and colour of chilli powder. It is this quality that customers see before paying. Apart from this, it also forms a main operation for export of dried chill pods in précising the space during transport. In this context, chilli processing units play a prime role at the trader’s end. One can see a greater number of units working in Guntur’s Chilli Market Yard which is Asia’s biggest market yard. Destalking is exclusively done by women in the units manually, with bare hands. A preliminary survey of units gave an insight into their health problems and physical injury due to this repetitive movement without any protection. According to Dwivedi and Kiran (2013) [1] major problems faced by the workers during threshing are largely related to skin like itching, dry skin, cracks, pimples, and acne. Other physical health problems are pain in shoulder & elbow, stiffness, and tremors in hands. These women opined that if their hands can be protected, it not only helps to prevent injuries by also helps to increase their efficiency of destalking. Padma and Shaik (2017) [3] , developed indigenous gadgets to combat health hazards of agricultural workers while harvesting of okra fresh pods, cotton picking, chilli picking, etc. Gandhi et al, (2014) [2] stated that appropriate protective gadgets notonly reduce the health hazards, but also increases the output thereby increasing the efficiency of the worker. Hence, protective gloves were developed to overcome physical health problems faced by the women labour while destalking of dried chilli pods in the processing units. Material and Methods Physical survey was conducted through personnel interview using a specially designed interview schedules to illicit various problems associated with destalking. Fifty women who are actively involved in destalking of dried chilli pods were selected for the study. The requirement of women for protection and comfort was also identified with the questionnaire.