Biogas plants to be installed in 3,825 schools The State government has allotted Rs. 8 crore to install portable biogas plants in schools to ensure cheap fuel for preparation of mid-day meals and food self-sufficiency. The project would give students an opportunity to access organically-grown vegetables for their noon meal. But experts and academicians say the project stands every chance of floundering unless there is ‘unconditional societal involvement’ to ensure the success of this food security measure in schools. A Government Order (GO) issued by the Agriculture Department on December 13 said administrative sanction has been accorded to install bio-gas plants in 3,825 schools across the State. The GO says the project is meant to provide effective bio-waste management, cheap and safe cooking gas for the preparation of mid-day meals for school students and provide enriched organic manure for school vegetable gardens. The selection of suitable schools for the construction of biogas plants would be done by the education department depending on the availability of waste in schools and the interest of students and teachers. District-level officers of the education department would provide the agriculture department with a list of the schools. A suitable agency would be selected through an open tender procedure to install the plants. However, academicians and school authorities point to two major restraints – summer holidays and lack of space in urban schools – in its applicability. “A biogas plant hosts a colony of methanogen micro-organisms which produces methane gas and manure. If this colony is not provided waste for two weeks, the colony will perish and the plant will become dysfunctional,” K. Prabhakaran, district vice-president of the Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishath, said. “Schools will be closed for 2.5 months every year. There will be no food waste during this time. Who will operate the plants during this time?” asks Beena Philip, Principal, Nadakkavu Girls Higher Secondary School in the city. Kozhikode MLA, A. Pradeep Kumar, said it is ‘impractical’ to think that manure from the plant can be used in the school’s vegetable gardens, which will in turn produce enough vegetables to feed the children during the mid-day meal. “Urban schools do not even have proper space for playgrounds, leave alone vegetable gardens on the school premises,” Mr. Kumar said. “As per government order, a school requires minimum three acres of land. But most of the 20 government schools within the Corporation limits function on land ranging from 20 cents to one acre,” Chandran K.M., Assistant Education Officer (Kozhikode City), said. Balachandran Parachottil, Education Committee member with the Kozhikode district panchayat, said there is no point in investing public money without understanding the ground situation. “These activities should supplement education and not supplant it. Most schools lack the manpower resources for vegetable cultivation and operating bio-gas plants. Either the children or the teachers have to be diverted for these activities unless they are made part of the academic curriculum,” Mr. Parachottil, a President’s medal winner for best teacher, said. Experts question viability of project as schools are shut during vacations Schools do not have space for having vegetable gardens on premises