New Ethanol Plant in Panipat soon

CHANDIGARH: Fulfilling the commitment made by Haryana Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister, OP Dhankar to manage the crop residue and prevent straw burning before the upcoming paddy season of 2018, a MOU was signed here on Monday in his presence by Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) to setup a 100 Kilo Litre per day Ethanol Plant (Bio-refinery) at village Bohali, in Panipat at an expense of over Rs. 900 crore.

The MOU was signed by Director, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department, Dusmanta K Behera on behalf of his department and Chief General Manager, Alternate Energy and Sustainable Development, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. Sanjay Kumar Srivastav on behalf of the corporation.

Dhankar expressed his gratitude to Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan for making this proposal a reality.

Dhankar told the officers of the IOC that there are 10 cooperative sugar mills and three private sugar mills in Haryana. These mills would provide the raw fuel to this plant. He told that paddy crop residue season is coming in October and November and after that sugarcane crop residue season will come. Thus, there will be regular supply of raw material to this plant. It is a great initia- tive by Indian Oil Corporation, which would not only fulfill the demand of ethanol but also biofuels for consumers of petroleum product, he said.

He said Haryana is the first State as compared to Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Punjab to find out a solution to remove the thick smoke in the Delhi Area caused by straw burning.

As per the agreement, this signing would be valid for one year. The Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare department would motivate the farmers or groups of farmers in the 50 km radius of this plant to provide crop residue or feedstock on regular basis as raw material to this plant.