Shimla, May 9: Nearly 22 per cent or 8,267 sq.km of the total forest area in Himachal Pradesh is fire-prone. A majority of the fires were reported from the pine forests since during summer the trees shed needles that are highly inflammable due to the rich content of turpentine oil.
As per government data, 1,200 to 2,500 forest fires are reported in the state every year. Mid and low hills in Shimla, Solan, Bilaspur, Una, Hamirpur, Kangra, Mandi and Sirmaur are the worst- affected districts.
For conservation, scientific management and sustainable use of pine forest residue that can be used as biofuel, an alternative to alleviate dependence on fossil fuel, the government on Tuesday said it is planning to produce compressed biogas (CBG) from pine needles.
Last month it signed a memorandum of understanding with Oil India Ltd. (OIL) and is planning to start a pilot project for the bioconversion of pine needles into biofuel.
The utilisation of pine needles for biofuel production through pyrolysis and other techniques will be a sustainable way to deal with the forest fires as well as the energy crisis.
As per the pact, the government and OIL will collaborate to harness and develop new and renewable energy resources, including CBG.
The government is eying to take advantage of the forest waste. Pine gasification may become a source of employment for rural people and also protect forests from fire.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said, “OIL has assured all-out support to develop renewable energy, promote research and development, and create a sustainable and resilient energy system.”
“The pact signed between two entities is a significant step towards achieving the goal of making Himachal Pradesh the first green energy state of the country by March 2026.” (PTI)
