Socio-economic Impact of Bio-Gas Users: A Case Study of Patlekhet VDC of Kavre District

Abstract

Bio gas is popular in the study area -Patlekhet VDC of Kavre district as asubstitute to fire wood and due to ease and comfort for cooking purpose. It was found that all the bio gas plants were of Dome type of which 92% were of 6 m3 size. Though no.of goats was large in number, only dung of cow and buffalo was found to be in use for bio gas purpose. All bio gas plants were constructed by self-investment of the users.Subsidy was very encouraging factor for installation of bio gas plants in the study area.Majority of bio gas plants (84%) were connected to toilet and plants were all working satisfactorily. The cost of installation of bio gas plants was in the range of 10,000 to12,000 (excluding subsidy. The study revealed that women were especially benefited after the adoption of bio gas technology.There wasconsiderable reduction in workloads of the family member,especially for women. Thesaving of time was daily 2.5hrsforfirewood collection, 1 hrfor cooking activities and1hr for cleaning utensils.Saving of firewood was in the rangeof 5 Bhari to 20 Bhari, the monetary value of being from NRs. 750 toNRs. 3000.Byproduct of bio gas plants i.e. slurry was found in use as an organic fertilizer. Increase in agricultural productivity was experienced by bio gas owners. 80% of the respondents answered for increase in productivity. Improvement of indoor air pollution and smoke less environment in the kitchen were other appreciable positive impacts of bio gas. From the study, it was found the decrease in diseases and infections such as eye burning, headache,cough, respiratory diseases due to use of clean energy obtained from bio gas plants.Decrease in fly prevalence because of clean environment at the surrounding. However,increase of breeding of Mosquito and decrease in production of bio gas in winter season due to low temperature were reported. The promising and good end use application of bio gas plants was that most of the users had vegetable farming and production of milk for income generation. They have been using nearby cities like Dhulikhel and Banepa as markets to sell their production.Therefore, bio gas technology has improved the quality of life of people of Patlekhet VDCof Kavre district. However, to express the impact of income generating activities due to bio gas plants in financial terms, detail study about selling of vegetables and milk in nearby v markets should be carried out. Similarly, detail study about the impact of bio gas on various diseases and use of human excreta for bio gas generation should be carried out for more quantitative analysis. Though bio gas plants have positive impacts on environment,the cause for increase of mosquito population due to introduction of bio gas should be investigated with necessary solution for the control of mosquito. As the bio gas plants are being used by rural people. There should be a special policy of the government to encourage and include poor of the poor people of rural are as to use the clean, smokeless renewable energy like bio gas. Moreover, subsidy should be continued and importance and benefits of the bio gas plant should be broad cased regularly by media for promotion of bio gas technology.