Throwing a spanner in the ex-situ crop residue management plan, farmers in Punjab are opposing the setting up of three new compressed biogas plants and stalling another one from resuming operations.
Information gathered by The Tribune reveals that three projects have been stalled at Bhundri, Akhara and Mushkabad villages, while the operation of biogas plant at Ghungrali Rajputan village has been forcibly stopped by members of farmer unions, allegedly because of the foul smell emanating due to the use of pressmud at the plant. Though the plant management has reportedly given an undertaking to the Punjab Pollution Control Board that they have stopped using pressmud, the protesting farmers have refused to relent.
BS Aulakh, a drug scientist, who is spearheading the protest by farmers against the plants, said the chemicals released during the making of biogas penetrate the earth and these are carcinogenic. “The effects will start coming after two decades, but many studies have proven that these chemicals enter the food chain and lead to breast cancer in women and liver cancer in males and animals, besides leading to endocrine disorders,” he said.
His claim, however, was brushed aside by officers of the Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA), investors and state government. Sanjeev Nagpal, managing director of Sampurn Agri Ventures, a biomass-based power producer, reiterated that this waste-to-wealth project was the best remedy to manage the 19.52 million tonnes of paddy straw expected to be generated this year in Punjab.
The sites of all these four plants are located in Ludhiana. According to the crop residue management plan of the state government, it had been proposed to ensure that work on 24 biogas plants started soon. As many as 38 plants have been allocated to Punjab, but only three are operational (excluding the one at Ghungrali Rajputana), which together produce 80 tonnes of biogas per day.
This delay has caught the attention of the Union Government, which has asked the Punjab Government to intervene and ensure that these plants begin operations. “The Government of India is promoting waste-to-wealth projects, and Punjab is a natural choice for investors. This is an opportunity that could take the state to prosperity,” said Vini Mahajan, Secretary, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Government of India.
She has been pushing the state to create a conducive environment for setting up these plants. She added that these plants would create a win-win situation for farmers, environment and investors in the green energy sector.
The state government led by VK Singh, Special Chief Secretary to Chief Minister, held a meeting with the groups protesting against these plants last week. “The Central and state governments will not push for an unsafe technology, which will impact the health of residents. We explained to the stakeholders that biogas is so safe that it is classified in green category of industry. This protest is pushing Punjab backwards. The green energy manufacturers, including some from Japan, have evinced a keen interest in this sector. We have now decided to call a meeting of all stakeholders and explain the need for these projects and reassure them that they are safe,” he told The Tribune.
