Udupi: Udupi Sri Krishna Mutt is setting up a biogas plant to meet the cooking fuel needs of its large kitchens following the shortage of LPG across the country linked to the West Asia crisis, The Times of India reported.
The project, estimated to cost Rs 60 lakh, was conceptualised during the tenure of Sri Sugunendra Tirtha Swami of Paryaya Puttige Mutt and is now being executed under the guidance of Sri Vedavardhana Tirtha Swami of Paryaya Shiroor Mutt.
The proposed unit will run on organic waste generated at the mutt, including leftovers from bhojana shalas and kitchens, along with cow dung from its gau shala. In addition to producing fuel, the plant will also generate organic manure for use in the mutt’s gardens and agricultural fields.
Mutt authorities said the initiative is aimed at providing a long-term solution to waste disposal while promoting clean energy use. “A well-equipped biogas unit is being set up as a permanent solution to waste management and to promote green energy. Despite the shortage of cooking gas, food is currently being prepared using firewood. In the coming days, the mutt aims to achieve energy self-sufficiency through biogas,” said Uday Kumar Saralathaya, Diwan of Shiroor Mutt.
The 50-cubic-metre plant is being installed near the gau shala by a Chitradurga-based company. The facility houses more than 80 cattle and is expected to supply a steady stream of raw material for the unit.
Once operational, the plant will process around 750 litres of cow dung and 750 kg of wet kitchen waste daily, producing an estimated 30–40 kg of biogas.
In a parallel development, a new boiler system was inaugurated on Thursday by Sri Vedavardhana Tirtha Swami. The upgraded kitchen now has eight steam boilers capable of preparing meals for 30,000 to 50,000 people supporting the mutt’s large-scale anna daana programme while reducing environmental impact.
