Govt fuels environment-friendly steps

It was only towards the end of December that the government released the funds, which was efficiently utilised by the Non-Conventional Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh (Nedcap).

So far, Nedcap has constructed 950 biogas plants and 2,500 smokeless fixed chulhas at a cost of Rs 61.28 lakh and Rs 4 lakh respectively in Krishna and Guntur districts during the last three months of 2004-05.

According to G Srinivasa Rao, manager of Krishna district Nedcap, and his Guntur counterpart Yakub Baig, the rural folk of the two districts have evinced interest to acquire solar cookers, gadgets, dryers, lanterns, street lighting, home lighting, solar pumpsets and solar geysers.

In Krishna district, Nedcap has constructed 800 biogas plants as against the target of 400 plants. It also reached the target of constructing 1,500 improved smokeless fixed chulhas.

Even private entrepreneurs have set up biomass power generation projects at Kankipadu, Movva, Penamalur, rural parts of Vijayawada and Pamarru and at two other places, Rao said adding, these projects generate a total of 30 megawatts (MW) of power. For setting up these projects, the Centre provided a subsidy of Rs 2.1 crore each.

The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation too has made it mandatory for builders and multi-storeyed hospitals to install solar geysers, each with a capacity of 36,000 litres. The step is expected to save about 5.4 lakh power units.

"Eighteen builders have already complied with the order. Nedcap has also helped Vijayawada and Guntur corporations to set up a plant to generate 6 MW of power from the massive waste collected from Vijayawada and Guntur," Rao said.

In Guntur district, Nedcap constructed 150 biogas plants each at a cost of Rs 6,450. This included a central subsidy component of Rs 2,800 for SC and ST beneficiaries, a subsidy of Rs 2,100 for others, and a zilla parishad subsidy of Rs 1,000 for all.

"The department has also constructed 1,000 improved and smokeless fixed chulhas in the district. Each chulha costs Rs 160, with a subsidy of Rs 98," Baig said.

"Biomass power projects had been set up in the district with the cooperation of Nedcap at Karampudi, Sattenapalli, Mutyalampadu and Perecherla, producing 22.5 MW of power. Nedcap has also taken up the implementation of the National Biogas Manure Management Programme (NBMMP)," he said.