Mumbai, March 27 (IANS) Amid the growing apprehension and anxiety over the short supply of LPG cylinders and fuel shortages arising out of the Gulf crisis, a village in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra has thrown up an ‘interesting solution’ and a 'gas model' worth replication, which is already finding resonance among a large section of villagers.

Rangepar Kohli, a quaint village with about 2,000 population, in the Lakhani Taluka of Bhandara district in Vidarbha region, has started using biogas as an “alternate source of energy”, with many families gradually shifting their dependence from LPG to the indigenously produced gas.

Here, more than 200 families have installed 'Gobar Gas' (cow-dung gas) and biogas systems. On average, every household in the village owns milch cattle, and the dung produced by these animals is utilised to generate gas for the community.

At a time when fuel shortages caused by war-like conditions are creating widespread distress, this village has demonstrated how the utilisation of traditional energy sources can truly make us self-reliant.

This 'alternative energy model' pioneered by the Rangepar Kohli village has become a topic of discussion and admiration in the neighbourhood.

This has not only mitigated residents’ woes over supply concerns but is also offering fresh hope amidst the uncertain times, which is only going to escalate with the intensifying West Asia crisis.

A couple of villagers spoke on how biogas was making up for their cooking gas needs.

Manohar Borkar, Sarpanch of Rangepar Kohli village, told IANS, "In 1987, a biogas plant was introduced in our village. At the time, people wondered—how could gas possibly be produced from cow dung? Over the years, approximately 200 biogas plants have been set up as people accepted the idea and built a biogas plant of their own.”

He informed that every household possesses livestock and ample space for biogas facility. Currently, about 200 - 225 biogas plants are fully operational and most remarkable feature of the system is that every single biogas unit has also been integrated with a toilet.

"Our village, Rengepar Kohli, remains completely unaffected. Thanks to biogas, every family is able to cook their meals with ease. While residents in other villages are often compelled to stand in long queues for gas cylinders, we face no such difficulties here, as our biogas system is robust, reliable, and highly sustainable,” he added.

A villager, Devidas Raghunathji Lanjewar, boasted about the biogas supply in the village and how it was buffering them in the face of imminent crisis.

“Our gobar gas system became operational in 1987. Our Gobar Gas system never fails us when it comes to cooking meals. We cook our daily meals using it, and we also use the residual gas to heat water,” he said.

“We own five or six livestock animals; we utilise their dung to generate the gas, which we then put to use,” he added.

Another villager, Ishwardas Hatwar, said, “We previously had an older Gobar Gas unit. That unit was functioning, but after some time, its output diminished. Subsequently, the Biogas Scheme was introduced, and we opted to utilise that system. We now receive a very abundant supply of biogas, and it is being utilised extensively. We do not use gas cylinders because they are often unavailable on time; for that reason, we have stopped using them entirely.”

“As we have access to this biogas, our daily cooking and household chores proceed smoothly without any issues. I received this biogas connection in my daughter-in-law's name,” he added.

--IANS

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