LUCKNOW: At a time when the UP government is contemplating setting up at least one Compressed Bio Gas plant (CBG) in each of the 75 districts to find a lasting solution to the stray cattle menace by helping make sheltering them commercially viable, two firms -- Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOC) and Adani Total Gas (ATG) -- have shown interest in joining the state government in its endeavour.
According to a senior official, the setting up of CBG plants would also give a boost to the rural economy by creating jobs for the rural youth.
The representatives of the two firms made presentations along with the officials of the Animal Husbandry department at a meeting chaired by state chief secretary DS Mishra on Tuesday. The sources claimed that the representatives of both the firms proposed to set up CBG plants to produce biogas from cattle dung and crop residue. However, the state government is yet to approve the proposal.
As per the sources, both IOC and ATG representatives proposed to buy cattle dung and crop residue from farmers to produce CBG in the plants that may be set up at places near large stray cattle centres.
The sources also claimed that the CBG plants would make better use of agricultural waste, cattle dung and municipal solid waste, thereby providing an additional revenue source to farmers and create job opportunities in rural areas apart from making affordable Compressed Bio-Gas available to rural consumers for domestic use.
The issue of stray cattle was raised prominently not only by the opposition but also by the farmers during the recently concluded assembly elections in UP. The common refrain was the destruction of harvest-ready crops by stray animals because of which the farmers had to stay on guard in the fields even during the chilling winter nights.
The issue graduated into a menace during the last five years as the Yogi government closed several illegal slaughterhouses immediately after assuming charge in 2017. Moreover, a ban was also put on the slaughter of infirm cows which led to an increase in the population of cattle in the state. Despite the state government offering various sops to encourage domestication of such non-lactating animals, the menace remains on the ground.
Notably, the Adani Foundation has funded a huge CBG unit worth Rs 20 core on the land made available to it by the state government in Varanasi. The plant is being run by the Varanasi Gobardhan Foundation, a special purpose vehicle (SPV) under the Varanasi Nagar Nigam. At the plant, CBG is produced and it is ready for commercial commissioning.
During the presentation, Adani Total Gas representatives shared their experience with the CBG plant in Varanasi. However, both the companies laid emphasis on state government support as a must for the purchase of the organic fertilizer produced by such plants.
The sources said that the 90-tonne capacity plant in Varanasi is set up near a big stray cattle centre and is ready for commercial production of CBG.
"A plant of that capacity needs at least 40-50 tonne cattle dung daily which is purchased from the local farmers for ₹1 per kg to produce the gas," said an official of animal husbandry department. He added that the pricing of the cattle dung was not fixed and it may vary depending on local conditions.