Environment Protection – Useof cattle dung as fuel at crematoriums
Sanjeev Goyal
No. SKG/RS/32 04-May-2021
The councils of State,
Rajya Sabha,
New Delhi-110001.
The petition of S K Goyal, D-103 Shivam Apartments, Sector-12/14, Dwarka, New Delhi-110 078.
Sheweth: Brief… Environment Protection – Use of cattle dung as fuel at crematoriums.
As per 20th livestock census 2019 India has one of the highest number of cattle population with it. While the total cattle population is around 53.58 crores the bovines only constitute about 19.25 crores. Such a large quantum of domesticated livestock must be producing a great amount of dung daily. In olden days, all this dung used to find its way to fields to be used as manure or used inside the house to cook the food.
With increased dependency on factory-made packaged fertilizers and usage of LPG as a medium of cooking a huge quantity of this dung, which is a cheap and easily available bio source must be going waste.
Specifically, all the dairies and cow-sheds located in urban or semi-urban areas are disposing this dung in the sewage system. This dung is a natural renewable source of energy and such disposal is not only leading to waste of this free fuel but also polluting water channels and loading extra pressure on sewage treatment plants.
The point is how can we channelize this dung for productive usage and save other forms of fuel. Though there are several usage of this dung but most prominent in quantitative terms is to be used as fuel. As per one UN report, wood generated by around 5 crore trees is consumed in India every year to fuel the cremation. Till date there seems to be no large-scale Government plan to effectively substitute the usage of wood with cow-dung. Even if this can partially replace wood, a sizable quantum of forests can be saved.
Therefore, is felt that we should promote the usage of cow-dungs at crematoriums in large scale. The production of cow-dung cakes may even be included in MGNAREGA as an approved activity, and a supply chain be developed for transporting this to crematoriums. Such a system would help farmers also earn extra rupee without much effort. The Gram Panchayats may be actively involved in the process of production of cakes, by facilitating the process as a coordinator. In addition, it may be made compulsory for all dairy owners to produce & sell dung cakes and not dispose it in sewage.
At this corona time when crematoriums are facing extra-ordinary load, the supply of dung cakes can immediately supplement the fuel supply. The activity would result in complimenting the actions of M/o Rural development & M/o Environment by promoting the income of farmers and save the environment. Since dung is produced by cattle on daily basis irrespective of consumption only establishment of a supply chain is needed to support the idea.
The point is when the production of dung is happening uninterrupted and consumption of wood is increasing day-by-day why not these cakes are finding its way to crematoriums? In most of the villages adequate number of tractor trolleys are also available for transportation job. The crucial element here could be pricing. The Govt. must come out with a fair pricing of such cakes at which crematoriums are bound to purchase it.
And accordingly, your petitioner prays that -
In view of above it is prayed:
(i) Government may come out with a pricing methodology for supplying cow dung cakes to the crematoriums,
(ii) Administrative order may be issued making it compulsory for all crematoriums to buy the cow dung cakes from dairy owners, cow-shed management or farmers.
(iii) Administrative order may be issued making it compulsory to blend the usage of wood with these cakes and
(iv) A research project may be awarded to CSIR to devise cheap & handy apparatus to convert big quantities of dung into appropriate shape cakes at a fast pace.
This being a matter of general public interest a suitable bill may be moved in parliament for amendment, if needed.
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Name of Petitioner |
Address |
Signature |
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S K Goyal, |
D-103 Shivam Apartment, Sector-12/14, Dwarka, New Delhi-110078. cwa...@gmail.com # 9891271854 |
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Counter-signature of Member presenting
Address: Secretary General, Rajya Sabha, Parliament House/Annexe, Delhi- 110001. secyg...@nic.in
Note: Signed copy attached.