Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (SP)

Bantwal, Oct 27: A biodiesel bunk has been set up at Alakemajalu near Vittal in the taluk. Biodiesel is manufactured by Keshavamurthy from Chokkady, Sullia, using a combination of soybean, jowar and jatropha oil. Murthy imports raw materials from abroad and manufactures biodiesel in his plant in Gujarat.

Keshavamurthy was employed in a foreign country. Recently he returned to his native place and chose to become self-employed. Customers from Dakshina Kannada district and neighbouring Kasargod district have been visiting his bunk to buy biodiesel. It is learnt that the quality of this diesel is better as compared to the normal diesel we get out of crude oil. This diesel costs one rupee less per litre as compared to normal diesel, and the vehicle mileage goes up by two to three kilometres per litre when biodiesel is used. Biodiesel customers also claim that as this oil is thicker as compared to normal diesel, the engines run smoothly.

Efforts to find alternative sources of energy have been on since long as crude oil is set to get exhausted one day or the other. Many countries including the USA have been using biodiesel. Use of biodiesel should increase in India too and exactly for this reason, Keshavamurthy has undertaken this initiative. Currently, his bunk sells about 2,000 litres of biodiesel per day. Keshavamurthy says that currently soyabeen and jowar oils are being imported. Now, a new plant is under way at Tumakuru and thereafter even these oils will be manufactured here to make biodiesel, Keshavamurthy explains.

India has four such bunks of which the one at Alakemajalu happens to be the third in Karnataka. The only other bunk is located in Gujarat. This bunk has been patronised by many customers because of the advantages of the biodiesel and also because it is sustainable and less harmful to the environment as compared to crude oil diesel.