MANGALURU: The recent LPG cylinder shortage in India created significant challenges for many households that depend on cooking gas for their daily needs. In response to this crisis, several farmers in Dakshina Kannada have turned to biogas as a reliable and sustainable alternative.
One such example is Glen Roche, a dairy farmer who runs a homestay and a farmhouse at Inoli in Ullal taluk. Unlike many others affected by the LPG shortage, Roche continues his daily activities without disruption. Thanks to the biogas plants that he and many other dairy farmers have set up, they are able to produce their own fuel and effectively beat the LPG crisis in Dakshina Kannada.
Building on this, he explained, “We have 15 cows, and the cow dung manure is used for biogas plants. We shifted from LPG to biogas as it is a sustainable. Even our workers who stay here use the biogas plant for all their cooking needs. For electricity, I have been using solar energy, and for our farm, we use organic natural manure.”
The biogas plant has also helped Jagannath Poojary from Murulya in Puttur taluk alleviate the impact of the LPG shortage in the market. Earlier, he had over 50 cows and supplied up to 150 litres of milk to the dairy. Although the number of cattle has decreased, he has continued dairy farming, and the Gobar gas unit set up about 20 years ago is still operational.
“I use cow dung manure for producing the biogas daily, and it has reduced reliance on LPG cylinders completely, and it provides a clean, smoke-free, and sustainable alternative to LPG and firewood,” he said.
Jeeth Milan Roche, a Mangaluru-based environmentalist, said that biogas is a simple, sustainable solution that turns waste into energy while protecting the environment. “Biogas saves our forests as it reduces the need for firewood. It is also a renewable energy source which is locally available,” he said.