The Punjab Government will establish an expert committee to address concerns raised by protesting farmers regarding the compressed biogas (CBG) projects in the state. This decision was made during a meeting with finance minister Harpal Cheema and renewable energy minister Aman Arora, who met with the protesters at Punjab Bhawan, reported The Hindustan Times.
The Punjab Government’s ambitious plan to build 39 CBG plants across the state, costing ₹1,000 crore, aimed at addressing paddy straw burning issues, has encountered obstacles due to administrative and other challenges.
As per media report, the five operational projects are facing difficulties due to opposition from farmer unions, who claim that the chemicals produced during biogas generation could be carcinogenic and contaminate the soil. Additionally, three planned projects are also stalled.
Minister Aman Arora stated, “After listening to the farmers and other protesters, the state government has agreed to form a scientific expert committee to examine the main issues raised by local residents. The committee will present its report within 10 days.” He added that the meeting was conducted in a cordial manner and most concerns were addressed by experts. The committee will review the remaining doubts and concerns raised by the protesters and seek solutions.
Due to the opposition, major companies such as Indian Oil Corporation, Gas Authority of India Limited, and Reliance, which had signed agreements with the Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA), are facing delays. Reliance, in particular, is experiencing issues due to administrative delays in Punjab, including the non-release of its power connection.
Punjab produces around 20 million tonnes of paddy straw annually and frequently faces criticism for paddy straw burning.
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