Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Tuesday inaugurated a biogas plant and gas pipeline system at Jatuwa in Biratnagar Metropolis-14, Morang.

During his earlier tenure, Oli claimed that he would bring an end to the phase of LPG cylinders by setting up gas pipelines for domestic use. However, the pipeline he inaugurated was not installed by the government.

Jatuwa-based Shree Krishna Gau Sewa Sadan, an organisation that protects and cares for the cows, produced and supplied the biogas to 32 families in the area by installing a gas pipeline system. The biogas plant is operated from the dungs of the domesticated cows at Gaushala. The organisation now looks after 205 cows.

The plant in its first phase has dispensed biogas to 32 houses by installing 400 metres of pipes. The consumers have to pay Rs 84 per kilogram for using the gas.

The plant has been producing 160 kg of gas per day, which can be distributed to 150 households. “This gas plant will replace around 1,000 gas cylinders in a year,” said Gyanendra Singh, an officer at the District Coordination Committee.       

Shree Krishna Gau Sewa Sadan, with support from the World Bank, had awarded the Nepal Energy Development Company with the project of constructing the biogas plant. Their objective was to generate electricity in the fiscal year 2017/18. But with the decrease in load-shedding, the organisation has now decided to produce gas for households.