Interested people are welcome to visit the website: www.pcra-biofuels.org.
M. Phukan
Buljit Buragohain <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
EDITORIAL
---------------------------------
Jatropha plantation
In the wake of tremendous rise in vehicular traffic on one hand and growing
crisis of automobile fuels, on the other, two aspects need serious
consideration at the moment large-scale conversion of petrol-driven engines
into diesel-driven engines of motor vehicles and wide-spread generation of
bio-diesel through jatropha plantation. It may be recalled that in the
three-day national workshop on bio-diesel in North-East at Guwahati in October,
2006, the President of India, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam had urged upon large-scale
cultivation jatropha plant, the most promising input for bio-diesel generation,
which could be a highly promising and economical alternative to costly
traditional fossil fuel. The increasing thrust on bio-diesel would not only
transform the countrys energy scenario, but would also offer large-scale
employment in rural areas. Though the idea is not new, the plantation of
jatropha and production of diesel oil from its seeds is yet to be popularised
in the
country. What is urgently necessary at this stage is to put in efforts for
research and development on a large-scale at the Centre as well as in States in
the areas of production and processing. There will certainly be problems
initially at the stages of plantation, harvesting and manufacturing with
respect to organisation, management and financing. This will certainly require
a large-scale initiative from the private sector, Self-Help Groups,
institutional finance apart from the lead role of government. Jatropha is not
only a fast-growing plant but is also immune to harsh weather conditions like
drought and it grows rapidly even in poor soil and waste land that is unfit for
increased income to a large number of poor farmers, the jatropha plantation
will provide eco-friendly and smoke-free platform that the by-products from
plant processing and the wastes out of it could also be a very good organic
fertilizer and insecticide for raising productivity of different farm
crops. In India, the quantum of cultivable waste land and barren land
presently accounts for 60 million hectares, and it has the potentiality of
reaching a peak production level of as much as 120 million tonnes of diesel oil
as against the annual demand of 49 million tonnes at the moment and is expected
to rise to around 100 million tonnes by 2025-30 period. The north-eastern
region provides an ideal location for jatropha plantation with waste land,
unused jhum land and river banks comprising more than 1.7 million hectares. The
region has the potentiality of producing around 3.4 million tonnes of diesel
from jatropha seeds when properly developed and this will more than meet the
requirement. Apart from organic manure, jatropha leaves would be an excellent
feed for silk worm that could help in producing tussor silk at the same time.
(The Assam Tribune,28.05.2007)
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Muktikam Phukan
Deputy Director (NR)
Petroleum Conservation Research Association
Sanrakshan Bhawan,10, Bhikaiji Cama Place,New Delhi 110066
Ph: +91 11 26198856 Ext 385,Res: +91 120 2452892,Mob: +91 9210001973
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] , [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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