Taking a cue from Gujarat and Bihar, Jharkhand Government is working to harness solar power by using lands of mammoth dams and reservoirs in the State. The idea is aimed to tap ample amount of sunlight available and that also without searching for fresh land; quite scarce in present scenario.
“As many as 13 years have passed since the State was formed but we have not been able to generate additional power on our own. I have had a discussion with electricity broad officials recently and identified that why not the vast land available in the form of dams and reservoirs such as Chandil, Maithon, Tilaiya etc can be used for solar paneling. It will at the same time save us from looking for new land for setting up power plants,” said Chief Minister Hemant Soren.
He was speaking at a summit organised by Assocham.
The concept has been applied to good effect in Gujarat where canal-top solar panels have been installed to harness the renewable form of energy. Similar idea has been mooted by Bihar when the Government identified good number of fish ponds for the solar plates and aimed to generate the clean energy in the tune of 70 MW.
The idea of the Chief Minister seems to have derived energy from the ‘Solar Policy-2013’ formulated by Jharkhand. Study suggests that the State is endowed with high solar radiation with around 300 days of clear sunlight. It also offers good sites having potential of more than 4.5 to 5.5 kWh/sq.m/ per day for installation of solar based power projects and lures private investors to the State considering the huge untapped potential of solar energy.
Jharkhand targets to increase solar generation to 500 MW by 2017 and 1000 MW by 2022 in a phased manner. “The State has huge potential for public private partnership in this field but due to large part of State falling either mining or forest it is challenging situation for us to protect the land of famers. This way we can do this,” added the CM. He also stressed on PPP mode for the areas like organic farming, sericulture, horticulture besides the renewable form of energy.
Talking about mining sector Hemant Soren expressed concern over illegitimate practice continuing in various parts of the State. “The fashion in which illegal mining is taking place in Jharkhand it is hitting local tribal very hard. Tribal people live with jal-jangal-zamin which goes out along with the minerals. A new kind of problem is raising its head and fear is that it could kill the very existence of the State itself,” said he citing example of massive fire at Jharia coal mine area.
Industry Secretary Himani Pandey identified handloom, food processing and technical education like ITIs through PPP mode. “The State is also looking to be partner in Amritsar-Hawra rail corridor project of which 196 kilometers fall in Jharkhand. We are looking forward to Food Park proposed in Ranchi by June,” she said.