Thiruvananthapuram | A Kerala startup, under the aegis of the Kerala Irrigation Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd is set to launch eco-friendly organic water bottles soon. Also called ‘compostable bottles,' this initiative is considered the first in the country.

The new product, marketed under the brand ‘Hilly Aqua,' aims to replace plastic bottles.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is scheduled to launch the product in mid-January, according to a statement issued on Wednesday.

The project came to fruition after Kerala's Minister for Water Resources, Roshy Augustine, took a keen interest in a prototype developed by Green Bio Products, which was showcased at an exhibition in Mumbai in 2019.

Green Bio Products, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eight Specialist Services, a Kerala-based startup, supplies the raw materials, while KIIDC will handle the manufacturing, the statement said.

Once operational, the initiative will position Kerala as the first state in the country to launch organic water bottles, it added.

All raw materials used for manufacturing the bottles are biodegradable and have received the necessary certifications from both domestic and global agencies.

During the initial phase, the bottles will be targeted to be distributed in high-footfall areas such as tourism hotspots and festival venues, before being introduced in other parts of the state and the country, the statement added.