No LPG tension in this Jabalpur village:75% homes use biogas stoves, also won the President’s award for cleanliness

Amid the nationwide shortage and rising prices of LPG cylinders, many households across cities are struggling to manage cooking fuel. However, about 35 kilometres from Jabalpur lies a village where residents are largely free from this concern. To understand the situation on the ground, the Dainik Bhaskar team visited Bandarkola village near Bargi. The scene here was noticeably different. In this village of around 400 houses, most kitchens do not rely on LPG cylinders. Instead, cooking is done using biogas produced from cow dung. Nearly 75 per cent of families in the village have installed biogas plants at their homes. These plants have helped residents cope with the ongoing LPG shortage and rising cylinder prices. Because of this initiative, Bandarkola is now emerging as a model for neighbouring villages. Villagers say cooking gas is always available During the visit, the team first spoke with villager Nati Patel. She said she is aware that people across the country are facing difficulties due to the shortage of LPG cylinders. However, she explained that residents of her village do not face such problems. She has installed a biogas plant at her home, which allows her to cook whenever needed by simply lighting the gas stove connected to the plant. According to her, this system removes the constant worry of LPG cylinders running out. She added that biogas is easy to use and economical, and she encourages others to install biogas plants wherever possible to reduce dependence on LPG cylinders. A village of 2,500 people with Biogas kitchens Bandarkola village has a population of about 2,500 people. The village has also received the President’s Award for cleanliness, which has brought it recognition not only in Jabalpur district but also in nearby regions. Behind most homes in the village are gobar gas (biogas) plants, where cow dung is processed to produce gas. This gas is then used to fuel kitchen stoves in the households. Initiative began with 1 household in 2013 The use of gobar gas in Bandarkola began with former village sarpanch Ajay Patel. In 2013, he installed the first biogas plant at his own home. Since he owned cows, there was a steady supply of cow dung, which allowed the plant to operate smoothly. Over time, the experiment attracted the attention of other villagers. People were surprised to learn that food in Ajay Patel’s house was being cooked using cow dung gas instead of LPG cylinders, and without significant additional costs. Seeing the success of this system, villagers expressed interest in installing similar plants in their homes. Gradually, the initiative spread across the village. Within a few years, biogas plants were installed in more than 75 per cent of households, and these plants continue to fuel kitchen stoves today. Simple System: Plant behind the house, gas to the kitchen Ajay Patel has constructed a pit about three metres deep behind his house. Cow dung and water are mixed in this pit to produce biogas. The gas then travels directly to the kitchen through a pipeline, where it is used for cooking. Speaking to Dainik Bhaskar, Patel explained that the plant is inexpensive to operate and produces gas easily. Since installing it, he has never needed to purchase an LPG cylinder, as the biogas generated is sufficient for cooking needs. Biogas plant installed near village cowshed Bandarkola also has a large village cowshed, which produces significant amounts of cow dung every day. In 2019, a biogas plant was installed behind the cowshed. This plant not only meets the energy needs of the cowshed but also supplies gas to several nearby homes. Ajay Patel said that after villagers saw the success of this plant, many more households decided to install their own biogas units. Building one such plant costs around ₹10,000 to ₹12,000. Some families initially could not afford to install the plants due to financial constraints. In such cases, a Jabalpur-based NGO and government subsidies helped support the installation. Low-cost fuel that also benefits the environment Ajay Patel explained that his household has 10 to 12 cows that produce milk. Earlier, the cow dung generated by the animals was considered waste and discarded. After installing the biogas plant, the same cow dung became useful fuel for cooking. During his tenure as sarpanch in 2019, most homes in the panchayat installed biogas plants, providing residents with affordable and sustainable fuel while also benefiting the environment. Large families depend on Biogas for daily cooking Another villager, Neeta Patel, said her household is a joint family of two brothers, with around 12 to 15 members living together. Tea, snacks, and meals are prepared several times each day, all using biogas. She said the family no longer fears running out of cooking fuel. Unlike LPG cylinders, which must be purchased, the biogas produced at home is essentially free. She noted that there can occasionally be minor difficulties during the rainy season, but on most days the biogas stove works smoothly. Some plants restarted after LPG shortage During the visit, the Dainik Bhaskar team learned that in earlier years some households had stopped using their biogas plants due to difficulties in managing cow dung and had switched to LPG cylinders. However, with the recent LPG shortage, many residents have reactivated their old biogas plants and resumed cooking with cow dung gas. How is biogas produced? The process of producing biogas is relatively simple. Cow dung and other organic waste are placed into a tank from above, while water is added through a pipe. A handle on the plant is then rotated to mix the contents and create a slurry. Once mixed, the tank is sealed. The gas produced inside is transferred through a pipe to another 10-cubic-metre storage tank. A regulator installed above the underground tank controls the gas flow. A valve made from a plastic bottle connects two pipelines, one supplying gas to the kitchen stove and the other to a diesel engine, allowing the gas to be used for multiple purposes.