Gutter Gas: Jokes Apart, Modi Finds Ally in Contractor Who Claims to Have Patented Bio-CNG from Sewage Sludge

Shirke says the municipal corp took away his equipment.

New Delhi, Aug 14: For all those who thought Prime Minister Narendra Modi was talking through his hat when he narrated an incident of a tea-stall owner drawing fuel from sludge, a man has surfaced to clear all the doubts. Mechanical contractor SR Shirke claims to have patented the production of bio-CNG from sewage sludge, no less. Speaking to ANI on Tuesday, Shirke said, “Yesterday, I came to know that Modiji has mentioned my invention in his speech.” (Also read: Modi Gets 30,000 Suggestions For His I-Day Speech)

Speaking here on World Biofuel Day on August 9, Modi had told the story of how a chai-wallah’s ‘jugaad’ could lead to innovation, generating much mirth on social media. In fact, his speech went viral and the Twitterati couldn’t help tweeting about it. However, Shirke tried to dispel those doubts on Tuesday by adding, “Scientists told me that my paper has been sent to the higher authorities. It had already been two years to that. I had forgotten about it.”Shirke hasn’t found support for his innovation. “People from the Municipality threw away my equipment, saying it’s a wastage. People from the Science & Technology (department) asked me to lodge an FIR but I was disappointed that I didn’t do anything,” he said.

Reacting to Modi’s speech, Congress President Rahul Gandhi had said during a rally in Bidar, “If you want gas, then generate gas from the gutter and make pakodas,” he said, mocking Modi’s anecdote. To that, this is what Shikre had to say,”Nallah emitting foul gases and polluting the environment is being used for something like this and creating fuel. It’s in the national interest. I didn’t like what Rahul Gandhiji said. I never thought he was immature.”