Methan is anything but a conventional village. For one, it has never witnessed panchayat elections. The sarpanch and members of the panchayat samiti are nominated by the villagers and they assume office unopposed. The village, inhabited by a mix of Hindus and Muslims, has never seen any communal tension. The Muslim population here is very prosperous and they have provided plenty of assistance to the setting up of and running the gobar gas plant.
The president of the Methan gobar gas plant, Kasambhai Elimad Thuka, says, “In 1987, village leaders like Jaffer Mohammad and Rahim Karedia broached the idea of a gobar gas plant. It was very difficult in the beginning but every resident of the village contributed a lot.” For plant maintenance and gas usage, every household with a biogas connection is charged Rs 50.
But a huge question mark now hangs over the future of the biogas plant, which has been hit by a shortage of cow-dung. Says Kasambhai, “The younger villagers have migrated to foreign countries. These families do not own cattle anymore. Hence the quantity of cow-dung is dwindling. We once had 50 stables in the village. Now there are only about ten. So we have to often obtain cow-dung from nearby villages. But the supply can be rather irregular.”
The effects are being seen on the ground. Methan once boasted 300 households with a gas connection. Now only half that number use biogas. “The shortage of cow-dung has led to low-pressure supply, forcing villagers to opt for stoves or LPG gas cylinders. Moreover, tribal and backward community people continue to use wood as a source of fuel,” says Kasambhai. A member of the Biogas Association, Mansoor Ali Momeen, says, “This plant needs specific changes. We need to develop a technology which can reduce labour inputs and increase the plant’s efficiency. In 1987, apart from Methan, biogas plants were installed in Meloj and Varsheela villages with help from the Centre but due to improper maintenance, these plants shut down within a year. The biogas plant in Methan is about 20 years old.”
Taking tips from Methan’s experience, Bhint Budrak is going full steam ahead. Started in 2007, the Bhint Budrak gobar bank has become a subject of study for many institutions. Sultan Momeen says that Bhint Budrak’s initiative should be emulated by every village.
Bhint Budrak is a predominantly tribal village that is situated on the Gujarat-Maharastra border. Education and health continue to be major problems for the populace here, but the village has achieved unmatched success with its gobar bank and biogas plant.
Before 2007, the village was only an insignificant speck on the map. The then district development officer, Vijay Sonvane, chose this village to set up a community biogas plant. The district panchayat allocated Rs 10 lakh but equally precious support came from SUMUL Dairy.
The president of Bhint Budrak gobar bank, Ramesh Vasava, says, “We got this project from the district panchayat and SUMUL Dairy because of our reputation for social harmony. Now, each and every person of our village gets gobar gas even as they earn by selling cow-dung. There was a time when we got only Rs 150 to Rs 200 for our dung cakes per annum. But now on we earn Rs 300 to Rs 350.”
The president of the Methan gobar gas plant, Kasambhai Elimad Thuka, says, “In 1987, village leaders like Jaffer Mohammad and Rahim Karedia broached the idea of a gobar gas plant. It was very difficult in the beginning but every resident of the village contributed a lot.” For plant maintenance and gas usage, every household with a biogas connection is charged Rs 50.
But a huge question mark now hangs over the future of the biogas plant, which has been hit by a shortage of cow-dung. Says Kasambhai, “The younger villagers have migrated to foreign countries. These families do not own cattle anymore. Hence the quantity of cow-dung is dwindling. We once had 50 stables in the village. Now there are only about ten. So we have to often obtain cow-dung from nearby villages. But the supply can be rather irregular.”
The effects are being seen on the ground. Methan once boasted 300 households with a gas connection. Now only half that number use biogas. “The shortage of cow-dung has led to low-pressure supply, forcing villagers to opt for stoves or LPG gas cylinders. Moreover, tribal and backward community people continue to use wood as a source of fuel,” says Kasambhai. A member of the Biogas Association, Mansoor Ali Momeen, says, “This plant needs specific changes. We need to develop a technology which can reduce labour inputs and increase the plant’s efficiency. In 1987, apart from Methan, biogas plants were installed in Meloj and Varsheela villages with help from the Centre but due to improper maintenance, these plants shut down within a year. The biogas plant in Methan is about 20 years old.”
Taking tips from Methan’s experience, Bhint Budrak is going full steam ahead. Started in 2007, the Bhint Budrak gobar bank has become a subject of study for many institutions. Sultan Momeen says that Bhint Budrak’s initiative should be emulated by every village.
Bhint Budrak is a predominantly tribal village that is situated on the Gujarat-Maharastra border. Education and health continue to be major problems for the populace here, but the village has achieved unmatched success with its gobar bank and biogas plant.
Before 2007, the village was only an insignificant speck on the map. The then district development officer, Vijay Sonvane, chose this village to set up a community biogas plant. The district panchayat allocated Rs 10 lakh but equally precious support came from SUMUL Dairy.
The president of Bhint Budrak gobar bank, Ramesh Vasava, says, “We got this project from the district panchayat and SUMUL Dairy because of our reputation for social harmony. Now, each and every person of our village gets gobar gas even as they earn by selling cow-dung. There was a time when we got only Rs 150 to Rs 200 for our dung cakes per annum. But now on we earn Rs 300 to Rs 350.”
Read these article :-
Outlook Magazine money editor quits
Don't trust the Indian Media!
No comments:
Post a Comment