Jagtial: Locals oppose govt’s plan to set up ethanol plant

There is opposition building up among residents of several villages to the Govt proposal to set up a plant for manufacturing ethanol plant

Jagtial: There is opposition building up among residents of several villages to the Government proposal to set up a plant for manufacturing ethanol ad rice bran oil plant with the common belief that such plants lead to polluting the groundwater and air.

Besides passing unanimous resolutions in gram panchayats, residents of different villages are continuing their protest every day during the last few days demanding that the government take back its decision to establish the ethanol plant.

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In order to produce ethanol and rice bran oil by utilising paddy and maize, Krishak Bharathi Cooperative Limited (KRIBHCO) has come forward to set up an ethanol plant in the state by spending Rs 750 crore.

Since the plant requires five lakh tons of each paddy and maize every year, the state government has selected erstwhile Karimnagar district, where paddy and maize crops have been produced in a big way under SRSP canals and Kaleshwaram project.

After examining various aspects, the government has allocated 110 acres of land (survey no 1090) near Stambampalli of Velgatoor mandal in Dharmapuri constituency.

On March 31, 2023, local MLA and Welfare Minister, Koppula Eashwar laid the foundation for ground levelling works. Since then the people from surrounding villages have started agitations against ethanol plant. Unanimous resolutions opposing the plant were already passed in Stambampalli, Pachigam and Venkatapur gram panchayats.

Speaking to Telangana Today, Stambampalli sarpanch, Challuri Ramchander Goud said that they have passed resolution in gram panchayat since all the villagers were opposing the plant. Besides air, groundwater in surrounding areas would be polluted as waste water from the plant would be released outside, he said.

Besides ethanol, 250 kilo litters of corn bran oil would be produced per day in the first phase. In the second phase, 250 kilo litters of rice bran oil would also be produced per day.

While rice bran oil would be sold directly in the market, corn bran would be sold by blending it in rice bran, sunflower and groundnut oils. Meanwhile, ethanol would be produced from sugarcane, maize and paddy. It would be used as biodiesel, pharma, and liquor manufacturing units.