Fifty-two bio-gas plants have been set up in the two upazilas since the BCSIR (Bangladesh Council for Scientific and Industrial Research) floated the idea among the people in 1996.

BCSIR set up 20 plants in the first phase (1996-2001) and 32 in the second phase (2002-2003.

Ali Hossain, sub-assistant engineer of the project, said the village folk are encouraged by the simple mechanism of setting up a plant.

Cow-dung of 7 or 8 cows are mixed with water in equal ratio and stored in a tank.

After about 215 hours, bio-gas is produced, which is supplied to kitchen through plastic pipe.

A family of 5 to 6 can cook their food, light their house, operate a water pump and an incubator with the gas thus produced.

Ali Hossain, sub-assistant engineer of the project, said 65 to 70 per cent of the gas is Methane which is a better fuel than firewood and the rest 30 to 35 per cent gas is carbon-dioxide. People use this gas as like natural gas, which is environmentally good.

About three cubic metres (105 cubic feet) of gas is produced in one such plant, which costs Tk 12,000 to Tk 15,000.

The government gives Tk 7500 as subsidy per plant. A plant can run for 30 years.

The waste from the plant is a good comport fertiliser for crop production, he told this correspondent.

Nurul Islam, a bio-gas user said the plant has changed the lifestyle of his family. Once established, the plant has not maintenance cost.