Netherlands firm keen to invest in Punjab's clean energy
Darpan News Desk IANS, 06 Apr, 2023 10:50 AM
handigarh, April 6 (IANS) The Netherlands-based firm NexusNovus' Managing Director Rutger De Brujin on Thursday called on Punjab New and Renewable Energy Sources Minister Aman Arora and discussed end-to-end solutions for infrastructure needs in the waste, water and renewable energy sectors.
Arora said the government is committed to create a sustainable future for generations to come and it has not been leaving any stone unturned to make Punjab the leading state in production and utilisation of renewable energy.
Inviting the NexusNovus to invest in Punjab, the minister informed that Punjab is predominantly an agrarian state and over 20 million tonne paddy straw is being produced every year.
The state has huge potential for agriculture residue-based compressed biogas (CBG) projects.
Asia's largest paddy straw and other agro-residue based CBG project of the total capacity of 33.23 ton CBG daily has been operationalised in Sangrur district and 42 additional CBG plants have been allotted by Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA).
Four more projects with total capacity 52.25 TPD are likely to get operational in the next four-five months, he added.
Showing keen interest to invest in Punjab, Brujin apprised the minister that the firm has already set up an integrated solid-based management centre at the Kempegowda International Airport.
At present, the plant has been receiving about 20-25 TPD of waste, which is expected to touch about 60 tons in coming months.
The waste is being picked by e-vehicles and then mechanically sorted into recyclable and organic based. Organics are being used to produce biogas, while non-degradable material is being recycled.
He claimed that no waste is being sent to the landfills and they are working with the mission to decarbonise the world through sustainable and innovative energy projects.
Punjab BJP President Ashwani Sharma told IANS that to control infighting in its party state unit, the Congress leadership made Channi ji (Charanjit Singh Channi) the Punjab Chief Minister but insulted the Dalit community by not allowing him to lead the party in the upcoming state Assembly polls.
The government and drug controller's office will have to take a decision on the third booster dose based on data and cases as times goes on and including how effective the vaccine is on the Delta virus variant, he added.
The petitioner said the state had passed the Punjab Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes (Reservation in Services) Act of 2006 but it has never implemented it in case of appointment in judicial services.
In the run up to the assembly polls scheduled early next year, the BJP Punjab unit has launched several campaigns to strengthen its organisational structure at ground level. Sharma said that work is progressing at good pace for formation of a 21-member committee at each polling booth.
According to Sidhu, the department has issued sanctions under five phases for purchasing the straw management machines with subsidies ranging from 50 to 80 per cent.
