A village in Hoshiarpur where cheap piped biogas trumps LPG cylinders
JALANDHAR: Making food for the family is now an inexpensive task for most women of Lambra village in Hoshiarpur district. They do not have to think twice before starting to preparing something special for their family as they have shunned the ‘costly’ liquified petroleum gas (LPG) gas cylinders and are using biogas instead.
In this village, people are using biogas for cooking at a large-scale and on collective-basis. Starting from Jalandhar, an hour-long drive covers Bhogpur, Behram Shrishta , Bulhowal, before you reach Lambra village.
When the residents of even urban centres do not avail the facility of home delivery of gas through pipes, residents of a remote village Lambra are enjoying it.
Ask anyone in the village, they have a group of people to thank as they mention Lambra Kangri Multipurpose Cooperative Service Society, which was established in 1920 by the forefathers of Jaswinder Singh, the project manager of the society. The society, since then, has been working for the welfare of the people in this area.
The biogas project was installed in the village by KS Pannu, secretary technical education, about a year back on March 26; Pannu has adopted the society. The first instalment of 36 connections has already been provided and is running successfully since then. Efforts are being made to cover all households of four villages — Lambra, Kangri, Dadiana Kalan and Baggewal. The biogas meters as well as chullahs are provided to the members of the society on its own expenses.
Kashmir Kaur, one of the residents of Lambra village, said, “At present, when gas cylinders are hard to afford for people like us, the Lambra Kangri Multipurpose Cooperative Service Society has come as hope for us.”
Meters are installed in houses to measure the amount of biogas being used. “Gas cylinders are very costly; I have heard that now the price ranges from ₹800 to ₹850, how we are supposed to buy that. We get a bill of only ₹150-200 per month by using biogas,” said a villager.
SCHOOL ALSO ENJOYING FACILITY
The Society is providing biogas to Government Senior Secondary School, Lambra, to prepare the mid-day meal for students.
“Apart from low cost, there are other benefits as well. There is no scope of adulteration or less weight of gas being provided by the suppliers as was the case with LPG cylinders. Also, we can get rid of the hassle of carrying cylinders to our place,” said a villager.
KS Pannu, while talking to HT, said that theirs is the first cooperative society in Punjab that took this initiative.
“Availability of biogas has helped people in the village in not having to worry about the expenditure on cooking. The aim is to supply biogas to all households in the area,” said Pannu.