Punjab panel approves new CBG project in Ludhiana

The Punjab government’s expert committee has approved the proposed a CBG plant at Bagga Kalan village in Ludhiana after the project developer agreed to incorporate key technological modifications to address environmental and health concerns.

The clearance was granted on the condition stressed by committee that the plant must operate under strict zero-pollution norms. The expert committee was constituted on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to review the CBG project.

The final meeting of the high-level panel was held at Bachat Bhawan under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain, and was attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner (Rural Development) Amarjit Bains and senior district officials.

As per reports, the committee included experts from agriculture, bio-energy, chemical engineering, environmental sciences, oncology and public health, with representation from ICAR, IIT Ropar, IIT Delhi, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) Ludhiana, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), Punjab Pollution Control Board, Punjab Energy Development Agency and NIBE Kapurthala.

Representatives of the Talmel Sangarsh Committee, village sarpanches and local residents also participated in the deliberations.

During the meeting, Dr Balwinder Singh Aulakh made a detailed presentation on the project, explaining the proposed technology and addressing concerns raised by villagers regarding pollution and health risks. He recommended specific technological changes to ensure the removal of insecticide, pesticide and other harmful residues from the biomass feedstock used in the CBG plant.

The CBG plant developer accepted all the recommendations and assured the panel that the amendments would be implemented in letter and spirit. The company reiterated that the Bagga Kalan plant would function as a zero-pollution facility and added that the company aims to make all its CBG plants carbon-neutral by 2031.

Deputy Commissioner noted that CBG plants fall under the green-category industries and must comply with all statutory environmental norms. Highlighting the benefits, he said the plant would use paddy straw, helping curb stubble burning, while generating non-carcinogenic by-products that do not contaminate soil or water.