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Biogas: A great changes on Bhetwal family Mr. Guru Prasad Bhetwal, the resident of Panchkhal V.D.C.-4, Lamidihi, expressed his view that reason of being biogas popular in a short period of time is mainly due to direct and indirect benefits of the biogas plant to its users. In the year 1999, a 6 cubic meter Biogas plant has been installed by the Gobar Gas Tatha Krishi Yantra Bikash Pvt. Ltd in the name of his wife, Mrs. Saraswoti Bhetwal (36 yrs). The total cost for the plant construction was NRs 25,000. But, seeing the enthusiasm of Bhetwal family, one NGO, the Love Green Nepal supported the construction materials such as cement, pipes, rod etc.and also the subsidy of Nrs. 10,000 from Biogas Support Programme, the family contributed only Nrs. 6,000 and didn't need to take any bank loan. The family owns one buffalo and one cow, dung from these two animals are sufficient for the plant feeding. Before the plant installation, the farmers of that village used to spend 2 hrs per day to go to forests in fetching of fuel wood. When that forest has registered as community forest, the farmers of Lamidihi have to cook their food using the stem of maize and deeply realized the need of biogas plant.
The main income source of Bhetwal family is agriculture. They produce mustard, brinjal, bitter guard, chilli, tomato etc in 12 ropanies of land. The production is very high after the use of digested slurry and is able to earn 30-35 thousand rupees a year by selling those crops. Since both the cow and buffalo are giving 5-6 litres milk daily, they also earn another Rs.100 per day. Besides, they have a small retail shop and sometimes teachers of the Sarba Mangala School nearby their house come to have lunch and the mother prepares quick food in gobar gas stove. The economic condition is much better now. The farmer Bhetwal thinks that gobar gas plant is bestowal of god which gives so many benefits. Mrs. Bhetwal is a ward volunteer and executive member of Rural Multipurpose Cooperative Organization, Panchkhal and engaged in various women's group. She is able to spend time in social services activities because of gobar gas plant . She received Users training for the operation and maintenance of the plant. She expressed that she saves time after the installation of gobar gas plant . The time saved is used in helping her husband in farming ; regular participating in the group meetings and do sewing and knitting too. The benefits Mrs. Bhetwal added that it is very easy to clean the utensils, clean and healthy environment around the house. At other side, the Programme Manager of GGC company is also amazed seeing the drastic changes on Bhetwal family after the biogas plant installation. He said ' there has been more than 1300 plants installed in that village and are getting numerous benefits like Bhetwal family but the success of Bhetwal family is an example for other gobar gas users. |
Success Story 
A 70 years old woman, Mrs. Bishnu Kumari, mother of Mrs. Saraswoti Bhetwal, expressed her happiness having the gobargas plant, because she is the one who cooks daily for the family while all other family members are busy in cultivation. She said that it is very easy to cook in smokeless stove and no hard effort for cooking two times meal and tiffin every day. There is a toilet connected to the plant too, but she does not feel any uncomfortable as long as there is no smell of toilet in the gas. 
