Archive · 6 Aug 2026
Assam Inventor's Solar Bottle Device Warns of Hidden Floodwater Drains
Every rainy season, streets in Assam can get flooded.
Under the muddy water, open drains and deep holes are hidden, and people can fall into them.
A man named Abhijit Dowarah wanted to help stop this.
He is 38 years old and lives in Sivasagar, Assam.
He made a clever marker using old plastic bottles no one wanted.
During the day, it reflects sunlight so people can see the dangers under the water.
At night, a small solar light turns on by itself to guide walkers and drivers.
His invention is cheap and uses the sun's energy.
Abhijit has made more than 50 helpful things from waste, and he hopes his device will be used in many flood-prone places to keep people safe.
Abhijit Dowarah, a 38-year-old from Sivasagar, Assam, created a low-cost solar safety device from discarded plastic bottles.
The device warns pedestrians and motorists about open drains and deep potholes hidden beneath floodwater during monsoons.
By day, its reflector makes hidden hazards visible; at night, a built-in solar-powered light switches on automatically.
The self-taught Arts graduate has built over 50 useful products from waste, including aids for the visually impaired and shelters for stray dogs.
Dowarah hopes the invention will be adopted across flood-prone towns and villages to prevent accidents and save lives.
- Who
- Abhijit Dowarah, a 38-year-old self-taught inventor and Arts graduate from Sivasagar, Assam.
- What
- He developed a low-cost solar-powered safety device made from discarded plastic bottles that warns people of open drains and potholes hidden under floodwater.
- When
- The exact date is not specified; the article references this year's floods in Sivasagar during the monsoon season.
- Where
- Sivasagar, Assam, India.
- Why
- To prevent accidents and save lives caused by hidden drains and deep potholes beneath flooded roads during every monsoon.
- Inventor
- Abhijit Dowarah
- Age
- 38 years old
- Location
- Sivasagar, Assam
- Device
- Solar-powered flood hazard warning marker
- Materials
- Discarded plastic bottles and other low-cost materials
- How it works
- Reflector visible by day; solar light switches on automatically at night
- Other inventions
- More than 50 products from waste, including a wearable device for visually impaired people and dog shelters from old TV sets
- Goal
- Adoption in flood-prone areas to prevent accidents and save lives