Shimla: Himachal Pradesh’s first indigenous biochar plant, coming up at Neri in Hamirpur district, is expected to generate around 28,800 carbon credits over the next decade while boosting environmental conservation and creating rural livelihoods, chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Tuesday.Reviewing the project’s progress, Sukhu said two biochar plants are being established at Neri and Jahu to convert biomass such as pine needles, lantana, bamboo and other plant residue into biochar, a carbon-rich material that improves soil health and stores carbon.The chief minister said people collecting biomass would be paid Rs 2.5 per kg, along with performance-based incentives, providing an additional source of income.The project is being implemented under a tripartite agreement signed in August last year between Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, the forest department and ProClime Services Pvt Ltd.Part of the HIM Evergreen Integrated Climate-Smart Agriculture and Agro-forestry Programme, the initiative will cover 50,000 hectares of farmland. It aims to improve soil health, enhance biodiversity and strengthen climate resilience through carbon sequestration using GIS, remote sensing and digital monitoring systems aligned with international carbon market standards.
