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The Karnataka Planters' Association (KPA) has sought subsidy for adoption of green technologies for pollution abatement at the estate level in the 12th Five-Year Plan.
“There are flood of new green technologies in the market, we have requested the Coffee Board to include eco pulpers, vermiculture and effluent equipment under the new category of green technologies and offer subsidy to growers,” said Mr Marvin Rodrigues, Chairman, Karnataka Planters' Association (KPA), in a memorandum submitted to the Coffee Board.
Eco pulpers
Latest pulpers use minimum amount of water and the water used is recycled for use has entered the market. The effluent generated is thick and is used as compost directly or used in bioreactors to produce biogas.
The pollution board has recognised these pulpers as ‘Eco pulpers' and under green category.
“These pulpers use minimum amounts of water for processing and have been introduced by companies like Penagos from Colombia, Pinhalense from Brazil and Mckinnon India. The former two are not manufactured in India and cost of all of them are quite exorbitant and beyond the reach of most category of growers,” Mr Rodrigues explained.
“It is here, we have requested the Coffee Board to include Eco pulpers under the new category of green technology and offer growers subsidy of 50 per cent for farmers up to 20 hectares and 40 per cent to above 20 hectares,” he added.
Award
Recently, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) honoured Mr M.S. Jayaram, Lalthadri Coffee Estate, Thogarihankal Post, Chikmagalur, with the “Environment excellence Award 2011”, under the category “Coffee pulping”. Mr Jayaram had used the same new technology - ‘Eco pulpers' (equipment manufactured by Penagos).
“Keeping this as an ideal example, we request the Coffee Board to include Eco pulpers under this new category of Green Technology, under the Plan proposals,” explained Mr Rodrigues.
Vermiculture
Similarly, the benefits of vermiculture and compost are known. Besides increasing the organic content of the soil, application of vermin-compost also results in reduced usage of chemical fertilisers, which are also in short supply.
The KPA has requested the Coffee Board to include preparation of vermi beds (to produce vermin-compost) in the proposals for the Plan under ‘Green technology'. We request a subsidy of 50 per cent for growers up to 20 hectares and 40 per cent for above 20 hectares.
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