RAJANNA-SIRCILLA: In a bid to meet the electricity needs of Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy temple in Vemulawada and the nearby government area hospital, the Vemulawada Temple Development Authority (VTDA) will construct a biogas plant that utilises cattle dung to generate electricity and produce cooking gas. The construction of the plant, which is estimated to cost Rs 31.60 lakh, is set to start on June 1.
Under the guidance of MAUD Minister KT Rama Rao, the preliminary works are progressing rapidly. District Collector Anuraag Jayanti is closely monitoring the progress of the project while Vemulawada civic body authorities have assigned special staff for its execution. The task has been assigned to Sundaram Fab Private Limited, a Tamil Nadu-based company.
Upon completion, this project will be one of its kind, utilising cow dung for electricity generation and cooking gas production. Although a similar biogas plant exists at Sri Ranganatha Swamy temple in Tamil Nadu, it only produces cooking gas and not electricity.
According to B Narmada, Assistant Engineer of Vemulawada Municipality, the gaushala (cow shed) located near the Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy Temple houses around 300 cattle, including cows and oxen. With approximately 2.5 to 4.0 tonnes of cow dung generated daily, this waste will be utilised for electricity generation, she said, adding that the plant will have the capacity to process around 2.5 tonnes of wet waste daily. The biogas plant is expected to generate 24 KW of power, she informed.
The project report highlights the environmentally friendly nature of the biogas plant, as it can generate electricity, cooking gas and even automotive fuel. The necessary machinery and equipment have arrived, and the installation process is currently underway.
Meanwhile, the temple authorities have stated that the temple currently incurs a monthly electricity bill of Rs 10 lakh and consumes 800 kg of LPG for cooking annadanam (free meals) and preparing prasadam. The upcoming biogas plant will help alleviate some of the temple’s financial burden in this regard.