For langar, Golden Temple plans to set up biogas plant

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 12

The authorities have planned to set up a biogas plant at the Golden Temple which will utilise the large amount of vegetable waste being generated in the community kitchen.

The plant, which will cost around Rs 80-90 lakh, is being set up in collaboration with the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Once operational, it will provide a continuous and economical supply of fuel to prepare langar at Guru Ram Dass Ji Langar Hall in the shrine complex.

Already, the langar hall’s expansion project is underway, which would help accommodate devotees double the number than its present capacity.

At present, langar is prepared on LPG-run hobs and a part of it is cooked from firewood. On an average, 90 LPG cylinders are used daily to prepare langar.

Looking at the high cost of LPG cylinders (commercial rate), the SGPC repeatedly sought subsidy but it was never approved.

The biogas plant will not only work towards maintaining an eco-friendly environment but will also be economical for the SGPC to run the community kitchen, which serves nearly 60,000 people daily.

MC Commissioner Sonali Giri said, “The project involves underground refuse storage bins and bio compactors. This waste will be transported to the biogas plant to ignite the fire. Once the MoU draft is signed between the HPCL and the Amritsar MC, it will take three months to install the plant,” she said.

SGPC’s additional secretary Diljit Singh Bedi said, “We have already spared a plot for the purpose.”