Dr. Prasad Waman Deodhar
Rural Development Practitioner
As someone who has worked in the field for over 25 years, I believe that experiential learning is the best form of education because, in real life, experience itself is the exam. Today, I am here to share the insights of my journey with Bhagirath Gram Vikas Pratishthan, a project dedicated to sustainable rural development. I come from Sindhudurg, Maharashtra, near Goa, and I invite all of you to visit us whenever you are nearby. Our work focuses on making villages self-sufficient by implementing biogas technology, reducing dependency on LPG, and promoting sustainable living.
The Two Types of Intelligence: Basic vs. Artificial
In today’s world, we often hear about artificial intelligence, but I believe we need to focus more on basic intelligence-the kind that even animals naturally possess. For instance, a cat instinctively avoids open defecation. If humans could adopt such basic intelligence, many of our sanitation problems would be solved. Decades ago, when I was studying preventive medicine in 1982, we were taught that only 30% of the population in India had access to toilets. Shockingly, this number has not improved significantly even today. A scholar once remarked that India has more mobile phones than toilets. But the truth is, people buy what brings them prestige, and for things that don’t, they demand subsidies.
The Problem with Subsidies
I firmly believe that subsidies are the biggest disease affecting development. When people receive something for free, they stop valuing it. True sustainable development happens only through a system of give-and-take, not handouts. We have seen this in our work with biogas plants. Instead of relying on subsidies, we encourage people to invest
in sustainable solutions that benefit them in the long run. Our approach has already led to the construction of 10,000 biogas plants in just one district.
Learning from the Netherlands: Carbon Tax and Sustainability
During a visit to the Netherlands, I observed an interesting situation: farmers were blocking roads in protest because the government imposed a carbon tax on methane emissions from livestock. The government dictated how many animals a farmer could own, and if they exceeded that number, they had to pay extra taxes. Contrast this with India, where people are selling their cattle and moving to cities to become software engineers. This paradox highlights the urgent need for sustainable village development because when villages thrive, people do not need to migrate to cities in search of a livelihood.
Poverty: A State of Mind, Not Just an Economic Issue
I believe that poverty is not merely an economic condition-it is a state of mind. Consider this example:
In Europe, a woman using an LPG cylinder and a pressure cooker spends only 18 minutes cooking a meal. In Indian villages, the same process takes four hours using traditional firewood. This time inequality is a major factor contributing to poverty. If we solve this issue, we will get people out of poverty. The best solution for this is biogas.
Pavilion – Healing
Dhanvantari appeared during the Samudra Manthan or churning of the cosmic ocean. Dhanvantri has four arms, in one arm, he is holding a beautiful pot that has amrit or nectar. In his another hand, he is holding divine herbs that are used in medical treatment. The word dhanvan means desert. (dhanvachara meaning, he who moves in a desert). There is a mantra in the Veda: dhanvan iva prapaasi (O Lord! You are like the place where water is distributed to travellers in a desert.) Thus Dhanvantari, with a pot of nectar in his hand is like prapaa (oasis) in the desert of worldly existence. Dhanvantari is known as the father of Ayurveda, since he was the first divine incarnation to impart its wisdom amongst humans. According to the Charaka Samhita, the knowledge of Ayurveda is eternal and is revealed in each of the cycles of creation of the universe.
Dhanvantari Jayanti, also known as Dhanteras, is celebrated on the thirteenth day (Trayodashi) of Krishna Paksha during the Hindu month of Kartika. This day marks the birth anniversary of Dhanvantari and is dedicated to seeking his blessings for health and well-being. It is also the first day of the five- day Diwali festival. Dhanvantari, an incarnation of the Vishnu, the immanent Divine consciousness, represents Divine healer in the tradition of ayurveda. To Heal ourselves we must set this Divine healer in motion within ourselves.
Why Biogas is the Answer
Many people talk about global warming, but I believe that instead of discussing it endlessly, we should focus on real solutions like biogas. At my home, we have one cow and four people. Because of our biogas plant, we use just one LPG cylinder in 18 months! The formula is simple: one cow is enough to produce enough biogas for three people to cook daily. We have built 10,000 biogas plants, and I believe that if we construct 40,000 biogas plants, our entire Sindhudurg district will become completely smoke-free.
Sustainable Energy and Biomass Banking
I came across an interesting concept called biomass banking, which states that poverty can only be eradicated when biomass is recycled efficiently. This is an idea from a book by Dr. Datte of IIT/B and I encourage you all to read it. Our team has also experimented with bamboo instead of steel in construction, learning from the techniques of Laurie Baker, the legendary architect known for sustainable building practices.
The Role of Local Communities in Change
One of the most inspiring aspects of our work is that our biogas masons are not highly educated; they have only completed 10th grade. And yet, they are the ones driving this transformation. I often joke that the most intelligent people get stuck in the 10th grade, while the rest of us are just crazy enough to try new things! Even I “wasted” six years in medical college before realising that real intelligence lies in solving problems at the grassroots level.
The Environmental Impact of Biogas
Each biogas plant saves approximately 4,000 kg of wood per year. Here’s something to think about: It takes one year to grow 1 kg of biomass, but only one hour to destroy it. The time gap between biomass production and biogas is the perfect “full stop” to this problem, offering a sustainable alternative to firewood and LPG.
Financing Biogas: A Successful Model
Building a two-cubic-meter biogas plant costs around Rs. 20,000, out of which the government provides a Rs. 10,000 subsidy. To date, we have spent Rs. 10 crore helping the poor farmers to build biogas plants.
Farmers often ask me, “What does Bhagirath do?” I tell them, “We are a marriage bureau helping people choose between LPG, firewood, and biogas!” So far, the Sindhudurg District Cooperative Bank has given Rs. 15 crore in loans for biogas plants, with zero NPAs (non-performing assets). Why? Because methane acts as a biological reminder-every day when people cook with biogas, they remember the importance of their investment.
Changing Mindsets: The Biggest Challenge
One of our biggest challenges is convincing people to use toilet-attached biogas plants. Some educated individuals question whether biogas from human waste is pure enough for religious rituals. But when I asked villagers if they had similar concerns, they simply said, “We are not educated enough to ask such questions. Our job is to work.” This proves that real development is not about endless debates-it’s about taking action.
Biogas as a National Movement
Our dream is to establish a national-level biogas training center at Bhagirath so that people from all over India and the world can come and learn. We cannot go everywhere, but we can create a model for others to follow. We offer training programs where people can come and stay with us for 10 days for just Rs. 500 (or Rs. 1000 if they ask too many questions!).
Conclusion: A Green Footprint for the Future
I strongly believe that while we talk about carbon footprints, we should focus more on creating green footprints. If every village has its own Bhagiraths, people committed to sustainable solutions, then we will no longer need to import LPG. India will be self-sufficient in energy, and our environment will thrive.
Thank you!
“When villages thrive, people do not need to migrate to cities in search of a livelihood.”
– Dr. Prasad Waman Deodhar
Rural Development Practitioner
