Biodiesel output in Malaysia is expected to be around 200,000 to 250,000 tonne in 2006, with several plants "Moving into 2007, there will be a big surge in the new capacity for biodiesel," said Sabri Ahmad, chairman of the Malaysian Palm Oil Association. "We are looking at 1.5 million tonne of biodiesel in 2007."

He said 10 biodiesel plants were under construction and 10 more had ordered machinery to set up the facilities, and the facilities should be up and running in about one year.

Palm oil output in Malaysia, the world’s largest producer, was likely to rise to around 15.5 million tonne this year from 14.9 million tonne a year ago, Sabri said.

As countries from Europe to Asia seek ways to cut dependence on imported oil, curb greenhouse gas emissions and boost local agriculture, biofuel plants are sprouting at a dizzying pace.

Biofuels are plant-based fuels, such as ethanol made from sugar or grains, which can be added to gasoline and biodiesel derived from oilseeds or palm oil and added to diesel.

Such is the demand for palm oil-based biofuel that Malaysia has stopped licensing new producers, while industry works out how to divide the raw material between the food and energy sectors.

Malaysia’s edible oil industry says the government has approved 32 manufacturing licences, with annual output capacity of around 3 million tonne of biodiesel, from 87 applications.

The firm’s shares were trading up 0.95% to ringgit 4.24 on Wednesday. The plantation index on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange has gained 18% so far this year and was at 3,301s.91 on Wednesday.

—Reuters

Close on the heels of Gujarat police reopening a ‘‘Chinkara’’ hunting case against Salman, the forest officials in Kutch region have begun a probe to find out if there had been violation of the Wildlife Act by Aamir when he was in the district in connection with filming of the movie, a senior forest department official said. Khan and his team were in parts of Kutch district for months for the shooting of Lagaan and he had created a big fan following among the locals.

“A detailed inquiry will be conducted and statements of all concerned people will be taken. Preliminary probe has revealed that the producers did not take permission from the forest department to film the chinkara. Some forest department officials will also be questioned,” Kutch forest officials investigating the case said.

The official said even though no animal was harmed in any way during the process, the producers and some officials had broken the rules and the footage taken was used for commercial purposes.

“If the filming was done in connection with a documentary or wildlife film, then there was no issue but since the film and the footage of the chinkara was used for commercial purpose then it is not allowed,” the official said.

Regarding possible action against Aamir, the official said: “It is premature to say if or not action could be taken against him. First, we have to see who all were present when the footage was taken and then we will take statements of the concerned people and then decide.”

He said that in the preliminary probe a forest beat guard, who had taken the production team to film the chinkara, had said that he only led them the spot and was not aware how and what they filmed.

“It is an eight-year-old case and somebody should have done something about it many years ago. Let us see what evidence can be gathered before deciding on course of action,” the official said.

Salman Khan, who has been convicted and sentenced to jail in two poaching cases in Rajasthan, has more to worry as the Gujarat CID on 21 June decided to reopen a case against him for allegedly killing a chinkara in Kutch district in 1998 during the shooting for movie ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’.

Gujarat forest officials had probed these allegations but had closed the case for lack of evidence.

An NGO, however, perused the matter and filed an application with the CID to probe the matter further. The actor, who has found himself on the wrong side of the law for rash driving also, is accused of killing two of the endangered deer species in Samara village in 1998.