News & Pics: Ravishankar
Bangalore, Feb 21: Bharathiya Janata Party’s national president i Nithin Gadkari lauded the State government for taking admirable measures to boost bio-diesel sector in the State.
Gadkari was speaking at the inauguration of Karnataka’s first bio-diesel manufacturing
unit set up by Eco Green Fuel Private Limited in Peenya Industrial
Area here on Sunday February 20.
Encouraging bio-diesel sectors is an admirable job. The entire nation will follow Karnataka in future, he said also suggested the Karnataka government to use barren lands to cultivate Pongamia Pinnata and
Jatropha curcas seeds, which were considered as the main raw materials for bio-diesel manufacturing units. The government should include farmers in manufacturing bio diesel plants, he added.
Jilesh Batia, founder director of the Eco Green Fuel private Limited said, he established the plant with complete Indian technology. “With a view to do something towards the cause of global warming,
we have selected the bio fuel sector a contribution to fight against the global warming. We have planted 25,000 Pongamia and 10,000 Jatropa plants on over 110 acres,” he said.
The oil from Jatropha curcas seeds and Pongamia Pinnata can be successfully converted into bio-diesel. Bio-diesel is a suitable replacement for petroleum or mineral diesel. It burns in normal diesel engines just like normal petro-diesel, increases lubrication and overall efficiency of the diesel engine. Also, Pongamia Pinnata seeds have medicinal values and also suitable raw material like lubricants in manufacturing paints. Wastes from the seeds, after oozing the oil, are said to be good fertilizers for agricultural purposes, Jilesh Batia said.
Pongamia trees can sustain without water and fertilizers in drought seasons for at least three years. They suck carbon and release oxygen. The great advantage is that bio-diesel can be used without any
modification in engines, he explained.
Karnataka State Bio- Fuel Development Board chairman Y B Ramakrishna, professor Balakrishana Gowda, C M Yeddyurappa and other dignitaries were present.