Punjab: Recurring fires in biogas plant stores raises pollution concerns

The company, which uses paddy straw (stubble) as raw material for producing biogas, is facing criticism for causing repeated air pollution in the area

Farmers in Bhutal Kalan village of Sangrur district have expressed concerns over recurring fires at the storage units of compressed biogas plant run by Verbio, alleging that the latest blaze marks the third such incident within a month.

Jaloor claimed that such fires are frequent in old stacks of straw bales but that authorities fail to act (HT Photo)

The company, which uses paddy straw (stubble) as raw material for producing biogas, is facing criticism for causing repeated air pollution in the area.

According to Jatinder Jaloor, a local leader of the BKU Sidhupur, the most recent fire broke out on Friday at a storage godown on Lehra Road, following two earlier incidents on September 25 and October 5 at separate storage locations. Jaloor claimed that such fires are frequent in old stacks of straw bales but that authorities fail to act.

“As stubble worth hundreds of acres burns, no action is taken. But if farmers burn residue in their fields, the administration reaches immediately,” he said, alleging that the latest blaze continued for several hours and led to severe pollution.

Verbio plant head Pankaj Jain could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.

Lehra sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Suba Singh confirmed the incident and the previous ones, stating that one of the company’s straw stacks outside the factory caught fire on Friday but was brought under control later in the day.

“There was no external factor involved. The heat generated within the stacked straw led to the fire,” the SDM said, adding that the blaze affected only a small portion of the storage material. The SDM attributed the cause of the fire to internal factors, saying: “I have spoken to the plant head and he said there was no external factor.”