The famous hot water spring of Hazaribagh District, known as Suraj Kund, situated besides NH2 GT road near Barkattha, can provide 50 MW of power. This estimation has been made by Department of Renewable Energy, which has just concluded a survey of the area with the help of Archeology department.
The Geo-thermal power department, which is a part of Alternate Energy Ministry, has identified about 340 such sites around the country and among these, 60 sites are in Jharkhand. The State is also suffering with a major power crisis. Suraj Kund is famous for hot spring of Hazaribagh, and is situated in Belkappi Village of Barkattha block. It is just 5 Km away from Grand Trunk road and 65 Km from Hazaribagh town. It is 364 m above the sea level and two small rivers flows from the both sides of this hot spring.
There are five springs in which hot water. These are named as Suraj Kund, Brahma Kund, Ram Kund, laxman Kund and Sita Kund. Suraj Kund is the hottest having water temperature more than 90 degree Celsius and Sita Kund having minimum about 65 degrees.
There are temples of several God and Goddesses in this village, among which the most important is the temple of Sun and of 'Viranchi Devi' which are adjacent to the hot spring. People use to come here to worship Sun and Viranchi Devi and before it they use to take bath in the especially built pond in which the water of hot springs mixes with the cold water of river.
Jharkhand Government has planned to develop it as a tourist spot and very soon the place will have Restaurants, meeting hall, Massage centers, spas and other facilities. If the Government plans to explore the Geo-thermal energy of this place, then certainly it will be an added attraction for the tourists.
Prof. Vipin Kumar HOD Geology Vinoba Bhave University said that by increasing the temperature of Suraj Kund to 110 degree C, about 50 MW of electricity can be produced. Dependence on coal for production of electricity can be checked or minimised by exploring such alternative sources of energy. He is hopeful that the Government will soon think over it and the place will develop both, a tourist spot and an energy hub.