Gurpreet Singh Kangar, Revenue Minister, Punjab and an illustrious Sikh NRI from USA Dr Chiranjeev Kathuria held a press conference to reveal plans to take care of the stubble burning problem which has created havoc with the environment in NCR, Punjab and other states of North India.Cabinet minister, Kangar has worked steadfastly to look for a permanent solution to the stubble burning problem of Punjab.Dr Chiranjeev Kathuria says, “My company, New Generation Power International will be investing in a 4000 MW power project across Punjab. 3000 MW will be solar power and 1000 MW Bio Mass Energy. The latter will be generated using stubble of the main crops of paddy and wheat. Earlier the same used to be mainly burnt creating trouble for the environment but now it will be purchased from and power generated from this waste product. This will counter the problem of environment pollution which has become very serious in North India.” The plan is to set up small, about 5 MW projects related to Bio Mass power production, which will use stubble as raw material. Two hundred such plants will be set up across Punjab. This will solve the stubble burning issue. Each plant will be located strategically near a major sub-station and will cater to 10-15 villages. Gurpreet Kangar said, “The power produced by the plants set up will be fed directly into the main grid. The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) will get the benefit of this additional power and hence there will be saving of subsidy by Punjab government as per the net metering rule of the state.”
The project will cost about 25 thousand crores and will be set up by Dr Kathuria on Built Operate and Transfer (BOT) format. The period he will run power plant will be is 15 years. It is envisaged that the power subsidy of Punjab government will be reduced to just Rs 500 crores in the long run.
Kangar Adds, “When we explained our problems to Dr Kathuria he went two steps ahead and offered us few permanent solutions. Given his achievements in the solar power sector and his ability to generate energy through new methods, I was convinced that by taking advantage of Dr Kathuria's long expertise in this field, we would be able to save the environment from pollution and dispose the stubble in a greener way.”The power project will help in meeting two big objectives. While on one hand it will improve the condition of the state exchequer on the other and would also be able to permanently eliminate the problem of smog, which has been affecting the air quality of Punjab as well as the surrounding states and also the National Capital Region (NCR).Several possibilities of employment generation are also connected with this method, as a result of which a large number of skilled and unskilled workers will get benefited. Not only this, entrepreneurs will also get direct and indirect business opportunities and the economic condition of Punjabis will improve.The project will have an all-round positive effect on the environment and bring in much-needed jobs and monetary well being to the state. All this without any investment from the government since the whole project is under BOT basis. The 550th Parkash Utsav of Guru Nanak is truly going to be a blessed year for Punjab and Punjabis.