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http://www.hindu.com/2005/09/05/stories/2005090512700400.htm


New Delhi

N. Railway for extensive `jatropha' plantation

Sandeep Joshi

Buoyed by the successful running of locomotives with the plant oil mixed diesel





NEW DELHI: Buoyed by the successful running of locomotives with "jatropha" oil (bio-diesel) mixed diesel, Northern Railway has now decided to go ahead with extensive afforestation of its land in the zone so that more bio-diesel could be produced. The project has been so well received by the senior railway officials that the Indian Railways is now planning to extend the experiment to the rest of the 15 zonal railways.

As part of its energy saving measures and adopt environment friendly technologies, Northern Railway, the largest zonal railway that already has 21.25 per cent of its land (8,400 hectares) forested, has started the drive to identify vacant land that is conducive to "jatropha" plantation and has also developed nurseries especially for this purpose.

A major step


"The decision to invest in research for the use of bio-diesel by the railways has been a major step in the direction of simultaneously increasing the green coverage of the land and to encourage the use of a more environment friendly fuel," said a Northern Railway spokesperson, adding that the multiple impact of this strategy on the environment would be the extensive plantation of "jatropha" plant (jatropha curcas, ratanjyot or wild castor), to reduce dependence on petroleum based fuels which are non-renewable, expensive and harmful for environment.

Informing that last year Northern Railway planted four-lakh saplings of "jatropha" across the zone, he said this drive has been a substantial step in increasing the green coverage of the land.

"By investing in the plantation of `jatropha' plants at a large scale, we are not only investing in the technology of the future, but it is also helping in increasing the green coverage of the land, which is also a critical need of the hour."

According to the spokesperson, "jatropha" plant has been identified as the most suitable plant for producing bio-diesel in Indian conditions. It can be grown in semi-arid to arid conditions, tolerates scanty to heavy rainfall and has low moisture demands. It can withstand long periods of drought and can also be grown on stony and shallow soil. The "jatropha" tree begins to yield oil seeds by the third year of its plantation and continue to bear fruit for 25-30 years. "By planting `jatropha' trees extensively, we have brought several hectares of wasteland, including land adjoining the railway track, under highly productive cultivation."

"Bio-diesel can be extracted from the oil-seeds by expelling as well as by solvent extraction; the residue material left is a protein rich organic manure. Bio-diesel is a high-octane non-edible vegetable oil which is completely combustible, completes the carbon dioxide cycle and has inbuilt oxygen content, "he said.


Railways plans to plant 30 lakh jatropha saplings

Staff Correspondent

South Western Railway may use bio fuel from jatropha seeds





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Devaragudihal Tank to be converted into a picnic spot
About 50,000 saplings to be planted around the tank
Proposal on oil extraction plant under study
Mass tree plantation would be a continuous drive
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HUBLI: The South Western Railway has embarked upon an ambitious plan of planting 30 lakh jatropha saplings. The saplings will be planted extensively at Hospet, Bellary, Londa, Hubli, Dharwad, Belgaum and Vasco, besides along the tracks in Hubli, Bangalore and Mysore divisions.

Bio-fuel


This is a precursor to a plan of using bio-fuel. Oil extracted from jatropha seeds can be used in fuel and in soaps. The residue makes for organic manure. The trees require very little maintenance and can be grown anywhere.

South Western Railway General Manager Trilok Nath Perti inaugurated the tree plantation programme at Devaragudihal tank near Hubli on Monday by planting a Jatropa sapling.

He unveiled a stone plaque as part of the inauguration of the programme.

The South Western Railway has 382 acres of land at Devaragudihal near Hubli. Of this, the tank area is around 278 acres. The tank provides drinking water to the railway colonies and the railway stations in Hubli and Dharwad.

The water is processed at the Obalapuram water filtration plant. Mr. Perti said 50,000 saplings of jatropha would be planted around the tank and it would be developed as a picnic spot.

He said the mass tree plantation would be a continuous drive. Railway was studying the idea of setting up an oil extraction plant as jatropha oil was an economical and environment-friendly fuel.

Commercial


"South Western Railway plans to commercially exploit jatropha oil and we may set up our plant.

Using jatropha oil will help cut down the annual diesel bill," he said.

South Western Railway Senior Deputy General Manager K.J.S. Naidu, Chief Mechanical Engineer B.B. Modgil, Chief Operations Manager P.N. Shukla, and Divisional Railway Manager Rakesh Vatash were present.



* The Government of India has identified 400,000 square kilometres of land where Jatropha can be grown, hoping it will replace 20% of India's diesel consumption by 2011.
* The Indian Railways has started to use the oil (blended with diesel fuel in various ratios) from the Jatropha plant to power its diesel engines with great success.
* Andra Pradesh has entered into a formal agreement with Reliance Industries, India's largest private sector company, which has selected 200 acres of land at Kakinada to grow jatropha for high quality bio-diesel fuel.
* Chhatisgarh has decided to plant 160 million saplings of jatropha in all its 16 districts during 2006 with the aim of becoming a bio-fuel self-reliant state by 2015.
* In May 2005, Chief Minister Raman Singh became the first head of a state government to use jatropha diesel for his official vehicle.
* Chhattisgarh plans to replace with jatropha fuel all state-owned vehicles using diesel and petrol by 2007.
* The government of Tamilnadu has abolished purchase tax on Jatropha to promote the plantation of Jatropha to help farmers over come the loss due to irregular rains during the past few years.
* In September 2006, the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) joined hands with the Maharashtra State Farming Corporation Ltd (MSFCL) for a jatropha seed-based bio-diesel venture.