Jaitu, Ferozepur biomass plants to be operational soon

I have been informed that the plant will start generating power soon. We called plant officials for a meeting, but were informed that they were not available right now. KUMAR SAURABH RAJ , deputy commissioner, Ferozepur The construction of the Jaitu plant has been completed and it will start generating power from paddy stubble after 15 days when it becomes fully operational. SUDHANSHU JINDAL, an official, Sukhbir Agro-Energy Limited

: Even as paddy harvesting is underway and some farmers have started burning stubble, two private biomass plants will start generation of power from paddy stubble soon.

Sukhbir Agro-Energy Limited has set up the two plants, one on the Bajakhana-Jaitu road at Sedha Singhwala Wala village in Faridkot district and at Hukumat Singh Wala village in Ferozepur district.

The plants have a capacity to generate 15 Mega Watt (MW) each.

Plant authorities had purchased 20,000-tonne of paddy stubble from farmers last season and started purchase of stubble this year as well.

“The construction of the Jaitu plant has been completed and it will start generating power from paddy stubble after 15 days when it becomes fully functional,” said Sudhanshu Jindal, an official from Sukhbir Agro-Energy Limited.

“Jaitu plant was to become functional in March this year, before the wheat harvesting season. Though the company procured the stubble last year and stored it at the unit, there was delay in the installation of machinery and the plant is now set to start producing bio-energy,” said another official, requesting anonymity.

Faridkot DC Kumar Saurabh Raj said that the private plant had been purchasing paddy stubble.

“I have been informed that the plant will start generating power soon. We called plant officials for a meeting, but were informed that they were not available right now. As stocking paddy stubble could be a problem, we will offer them the use of our open-air theatre to stock it,” he added.

The group company of Sukhbir Agro-Energy Limited, Universal Bio-Mass Energy, has set up a 14.5MW bio-mass power at Channu village in Muktsar district.

29 LAKH HECTARE IS UNDER PADDY

With 29.2 lakh hectare under paddy cultivation, farmers face the challenge of managing nearly 20 million tonne of paddy straw. They have already starting taking the ‘quick-and-easy’ option of putting a matchstick to the stubble.

The state government has requested the Centre to give ₹100 per quintal of paddy to help them manage the stubble and ensure that there was no pollution.