The residue already belonged in someone's livelihood

I am Sushmita Drelqari, CEO of the fictional Zemquri Bioenergy in Kota. A procurement proposal once described 40,000 tonnes across twelve villages as an available residue opportunity. Eighteen thousand tonnes already supported fodder or bedding uses. Fourteen thousand could enter the proposed programme under the reviewed agreements, while 8,000 remained unresolved. Calling all of it waste had made the plant's requirement look like the only purpose the material could serve. I chose a smaller programme rather than let that description become a supply commitment.

I grew up in Bhubaneswar and began in rural-processing engineering in July 1992. Plant and procurement roles taught me that a useful production plan depends on relationships and material conditions beyond the factory gate. Today Zemquri operates three plants with 286 permanent employees and 220 seasonal workers counted separately. FY26 shipments were 96,000 tonnes and revenue ₹86 crore. Seven executives report to me, with a ₹74 crore board-approved FY2026–27 operating envelope and a separate ₹12 crore capital programme. I serve as an executive director under a separate chair.

My cases connect the enterprise promise with those practical conditions. We revised the treatment of moisture in incoming-material agreements, reduced a residue programme to a supported scope, funded paid off-season work and preparation for a defined group, and withdrew a carbon-neutral headline I had wanted to use. Each decision retained a cost or unresolved result. Qualified technical owners decide acceptance and safe work, and customers retain operation of their equipment. Supplying a biomass fuel does not give our company authority to claim the complete energy or emissions outcome of every use.

Current focus

Building a fuel business whose procurement, workforce and public promises remain compatible with the evidence behind them.

Conversations I welcome

One external board discussion about industrial supply commitments and stakeholder tradeoffs, after consent, conflicts review and further appointment preparation.