Spread the news
Ludhiana, August 14
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Friday laid the foundation stone of a ₹65-crore Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) plant at Haibowal in Ludhiana, aimed at stopping cattle waste from entering the polluted Budha Nallah.The plant, being built on 2.5 acres, will process about 300 tonnes of cattle dung generated every day at the Haibowal Dairy Complex. It is expected to become operational by September 2027.
The project is part of the government’s ‘Waste-to-Wealth’ initiative and is expected to directly benefit about 435 dairy owners by creating a system for the scientific collection and processing of cattle dung.The plant will produce around five tonnes of CBG and organic bio-fertiliser each day. The government says it will also create employment opportunities while reducing dependence on chemical fertilisers.
Mann said the project would help prevent untreated dung and other waste from reaching the Budha Nallah, which has long been affected by sewage and industrial pollution.“This is not merely a gas plant,” Mann said, describing the project as part of the Budha Darya Rejuvenation Programme. He said it was intended to improve cleanliness around the dairy complex while supporting cleaner energy and better waste management.
The Chief Minister thanked Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) officials for their role in executing the project and said the Punjab government had provided the land for the plant.Mann said similar projects would be developed elsewhere in Punjab to promote renewable energy and reduce pollution. He also urged residents not to discharge untreated wastewater into rivers, canals and other water sources.
The Chief Minister also highlighted the government’s efforts to expand canal irrigation. He said canal water now meets more than 88% of the state’s irrigation needs, compared with 22% when his government took office.
He said around 14,000 km of pipelines had been laid to take canal water to farmers and another 7,000 km would be added by the end of the year.
Mann said the government was also working on water recharge and other measures aimed at improving Punjab’s groundwater situation.
The CBG project is expected to become a key part of efforts to manage dairy waste in one of Ludhiana’s most heavily polluted areas, while turning a waste product into energy and agricultural fertiliser.
The North News
