Kalam urges NE states to set up bio-fuel plants

Aizwal, Oct 17 (UNI) President A P J Abdul Kalam has urged the North Eastern states to utilise barren wasteland by setting up bio-fuel plants.

Addressing the second convocation of Mizoram University here last evening, the President stressed upon the cultivation of jatropha circus (ratanjyot) on commercial basis.

He said, ''People of the region should make India self-sufficient in eco-friendly fuel poduction (bio disel) by next decade.'' Speaking about Mizoram, Dr Kalam said the state has 2,60,000 hectares of barren land and the potential of jatropha cultivation in 1.30 lakh hectres land, which would reduce about 10 per cent of diesel annually and save about Rs 325 crore. It would generate employment opportunity in the region.

''Though jatropha is the plant of low precipitation areas, it is planted for management of waste land in the NE states,'' Dr Kalam said adding countries like France has been using the bio-fuel at 50:50 ratio with diesel to reduce the pressure on the non-renewable energy sources.

He said Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and few other states have already started jatropha cultivation on commercial basis while NE states have not yet taken it up in a big manner.

He added the Rastrapati Bhawan has a model bio-fuel plant, Dr Kalam urged educationists, economists and scientists of the region to help the state governments manage wastelands as well as conseve enviornment.

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