Punjab plans agri-waste use to produce power

Charanjit Ahuja :2009-02-05
Chandigarh: The Punjab government has chalked out an ambitious plan to generate power from agriculture waste by setting up co-generation power plants at all the state-owned cooperative sugar mills.
The concept, the brain child of Punjab’s cooperation minister Capt Kanwaljit Singh, aims to involve the private sector on a build, own, operate and transfer (BOOT) basis at its nine sugar mills. The private sector companies, through cooperative societies in the state, will purchase agriculture waste including paddy straw to generate power through the biomass project. All these plants will be functional by the end of 2010.
Singh told FE, “The farmers of Punjab would get a benefit of Rs 600 crore annually as, according to a recent study of Punjab Agriculture University, farmers burn paddy straw worth this amount every year.” The Punjab Sugarfed has signed a MoU with private parties to set up co-generation plants and for the modernisation and upgrade of all the sugar mills on a BOOT basis.
Capt Kanwaljit Singh pointed out sugarcane cultivation in Punjab is now being done on 39,000 hectare compared to 60,000 hectare last year. On its part, the produce had come down from 594 lakh quintals last year to 206 lakh quintals this year. He said with the new concept, the farmers would be able to supplement their incomes.
The minister said about Rs 1,000 crore would be spent on setting up these plants and each plant would generate between 20 mw and 25 mw of electricity.
The MoU has been signed for sugar mills of Ajnala, Batala, Bhogpur, Budhewal, Fazilka, Gurdaspur, Morinda, Nakodar and Nawanshahr with four companies including Spray Engg Devices, Saraya Industries, Purab Infrastructure Projects and A2Z Infrastructure.
Spray Engineering will set up a cogeneration plant in Bhogpur to generate 18 mw and the sugar making capacity will be enhanced from 1,016 tonne crushing per day to 5,500 tonne crushing per day at a cost of Rs 80 crore. A2Z Infrastructure and Purab Infrastructure will establish three plants to generate 20 mw each at Nakodar, Budhewal and Fazilka and a 25-mw power plant at Morinda at a cost of Rs 450 crore.
The Saraya Group will set up plants of 12 mw each at Ajnala, Gurdaspur, Nawanshehar and Batala with an investment of over Rs 300 crore. He said all these plants would be commissioned by September 2010.
It is to be noted the state cooperative mills has the potential to generate...
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/punjab-plans-agriwaste-use-to-produce-power/419284/

Fazilka: Upcoming Energy Hub of Punjab

Fazilka: Many might not have even thought about this, but this small town confronted with political ignorance from the state government would now be able to regain its lost glory, all thanks to the new addition to its geography named, Energy. In future this town would be known as "Energy hub of Punjab". Something knowingly and unknowingly which had happened over the past five years is going to make this possible.

The border city of Fazilka first shot into prominence form a period of oblivion when it was selected as the first Asian town for adopting the best energy saving practices to fight against global warming by Czech Republic Magazine Magazine[1] "Carbuster" in its 32nd issue. The focus of the magazine centering around 'faith and environment' mentioned how in order to curb the effect of global warming, religious messages quoted in Sri Guru Granth Sahib were installed at various palces.

On the occasion of Fazilka heritage festival 2007, another feather got adorned in the cap of this city when Fazilka pioneereed and promoted the use of CFL lamps in the city. The entire CFL electric dealer decided to sell CFL on no profit and no loss basis[2].

Within a year of this biggest international recognition the U.S.-backed $3.5 billion Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project deal signed in Pakistan got a fillip too. Infact it was on this historic day that the 10th steering committee of oil ministers from Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India agreed to start construction work on the much-delayed TAPI pipeline project in 2010. The pipeline which will be 1,420 mm in diameter will have a capacity of 33 billion cubic metres (bcm) of natural gas annually to fulfill the energy needs of the country.

However, this is not where it ended all. After adopting best energy saving practices in all spheres of life, how could agriculture be ignored? And the answers to this speculation were put to rest with the setting up of first agriculture call centre[3] by a group of wise farmers of Fazilka where farmers could discuss their agriculture related problems to increase their profitability. To improve the condition of farmes further, another son of the soil, Mr Vikram Ahuja is credited with establishing the first agricultural equipment bank facility here. The bank provides state of the art international facility in the form of agriculture equipment like laser leveler, soil tensiometer especially for small farmers, who cannot afford to buy all these equipments. Malwa Water Management System developed by Mr Ahuja is going to save 7.5 billion liter of fresh water in agriculture.

Indian Defense forces have also played an important role in the prosperity of this town. Indian Army last year planted more than 10,000 trees along with the progressive farmers of this region, who also gifted more than 3000 'sheesham' samplings.

After agriculture, it was time to dare something new with the painstaking Transportation system. Fazilka showcased to the world a unique public transport system through the erstwhile cycle rickshaw[4]. This system was designed to promote the use of rickshaw as mode of public transport system, where the average trip length in the city is less than 3 km. Call centers were installed across the city to make rickshaw phone call away named ECOCABS. This concept was perfect amalgamation of tradition and digital empowerment which was indeed well taken by the rest of the world.

Within couple of years, citizen of this small town made thier importance on international map. This further attracted some global players when Moser Baer Photovoltaic Ltd[5] who in association with The Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) made an announcement to install 5 MW solar energy plant in Fazilka.

Couple of years and India's smallest big town made its appearance in all the areas of energy saving like transportation, religion, agriculture, electric and solar energy. Indeed "where there is a will, there is way' can be at best suited to Fazilka and its people. While the government was busy developing a few cities of Punjab like Mohali, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala and Amritsar, this small township of backward region of Fazilka was being empowered by its residents setting new trends for many Indian cities who are still looking forward for help after independence from their state governments.

Edited By : Shivani Khanna