JALANDHAR
The problem of stubble burning will be a thing of the past soon as the Bhogpur Co-Operative Sugar Mill first time has started generating 10 MW electricity per hour by using 400-MT paddy stubble daily.
Further, no case of stubble burning has been reported in Bhogpur and adjoining areas as per the Punjab Pollution Control Board so far.
The Mill has been purchasing the stubble directly from the farmers in the range of Rs 180 to Rs 250 per quintal. It has been using paddy stubble 400 MT per day in its boiler furnace of capacity 80 tonnage per hour (TPH) with an Electrostatic Precipitator (ESP) as per air pollution control device (APCD) and generating electricity 10 MW per hour.
Disclosing further details, Deputy Commissioner Vishesh Sarangal said that the target had been fixed to purchase 40000-MT paddy stubble in the current season and 10000-MT cane trash. He said that the mill would use the paddy stubble for seven months and cane trash for five months. He said that the district administration had planned to manage 2.36 lakh metric tonnes of paddy stubble through ex-situ management in the ongoing harvest season. He said that Jalandhar district had around 60 balers which could make bales of three to five quintals. These bales would be directly sold to industries by the farmers or farm groups in the district.
Deputy Commissioner also urged other farmers to sell the stubble to the mill directly and earn extra income rather than spending money on burning the stubble.
PPCB Executive Engineer Sandeep Kumar said that the sugar mill had an established power plant inside its premises and it is using the paddy residue for the generation of electricity which is being sold to the government. He said that the plant had been run by a Khanna-based private company. He said that the generation of electricity by using stubble here would not only eliminate menace but would also help to ensure a clean environment for the people. He also added that so far, no case of stubble burning has surfaced in Bhogpur and adjoining areas.