Shardol : While sky-rocketing fuel prices continue to burn a hole in the common man's pocket, a tribal village in Shardol's Khetauli manages to cut expenses by using gas produced from cow dung. The biogas has come as a blessing for these tribals as it not only help to save cost but the by-product is used as organic fertiliser in their fields.
The women of the village are particularly happy as cooking with dung gas is easy, convenient and not lengthily. The time taken to cook with LPG cylinder and that with biogas is almost same, they said. "Who wants to expend such an exorbitant amount in LPG cylinders when the same work can be done with biogas? Cooking with biogas is hassle-free and we don't face any problem," Karishma Singh, a villager said.
Another tribal woman, Kaushalya Singh said that she cooks the entire family's meal with biogas. "I have been using this gas for almost a decade now. I cook lentils, rice, vegetables and roti three times a day," she said. According to Kaushalya, all her neighbours use biogas for cooking. "How can people like us spend Rs 1100-1200 every month for buying LPG cylinders? Where will the money come from?" she asked. She said that poor tribal families like her cannot afford to spend so much on fuel when biogas is easily available.
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Indrajit Kushwaha, a resident of Khetauli village said that biogas facility is available in his house for many years and is used for cooking meals for seven to eight members daily. He said that if a biogas plant is installed in the area then the gas generated from the plant can easily be used for cooking. "Cow dung is readily available in all houses. You just have to put the dung in the plant's tank and mix it with water. Gas will automatically start generating from it and will reach your kitchen through pipe. The process is neither complicated nor time-consuming," he explained.
Former agriculture officer Akhilesh Namdev, who has been working for the well-being of the tribals said Khetauli is a tribal-dominated village and almost every house has a biogas plant. "The plants are being operated for over 10 years. The best thing is that these people use and maintain the plant well. These plants produce bio-manure as by-product that is used as an organic fertiliser. Farmers use this to increase soil fertility. So, the biogas plant provides dual benefit for the farmers," he said.
According to Namdev, a plant is ready by spending only Rs 15,000-Rs 16,000 and if it is set up under Madhya Pradesh government's scheme then one gets subsidy. If biogas plants are used in other villages then it will help to counter the LPG price hike, he said.
