Aurangabad: Farmer activist and former BJP MLC Syed Pasha Patel has reached out to the state government demanding replacement of coal with green-coal cane as fuel in thermal power plants. Patel, who is also the former chairman of Maharashtra commission for agriculture costs and prices, has proposed the use of biomass pellets or briquettes prepared from bamboo to not only bring down carbon emission but also make the overall thermal power generation process cost-effective. He told TOI, “By using biomass pellets or briquettes prepared from bamboo as fuel for thermal power plants, we are not only saving public money, but also helping the environment and at the same time generating employment in the farming sector.”