Srinagar, May 26: Minister for Science and Technology, Aga Syed Ruhulla Mehdi Wednesday revealed state’s ambitious plans in non-conventional energy.
 He said 1250 villages in J&K would be provided with solar lights this year.  “The villages not connected so far and not existing on the map of the Power Development Department will get solar lights on priority.”
 “The project is almost approved and the money is being provided by the government of India,” he said while presiding over a brain storming session on ‘Sustainable Development in J&K state: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’ in the conference Green Solutions J&K at SKICC here today.
 The three-day conference is being jointly organized by the Federation Chamber of Industries Kashmir and the Indian Youth Climate Network.
 The minister said the government this year shall also provide 15,150 solar lanterns to the Gujjars and other nomads.
 Besides, he said, they shall install 20 to 25 solar power plants of 25 to 50 kilowatt each in a few district hospitals, Hazratbal Shrine, Chrar-e-Sharief Shrine, Maata Vaishno Devi, J&K Legislature, Secretariat and high courts both in Srinagar and Jammu, “so as to give the society a feel as to how non-conventional resources of energy can be utilized in our state.”
 He added that the department of science and technology was going to commission 53 micro hydro-power projects of 2 MW each this year, out of which 23 had been sanctioned, whereas for rest of the projects, the proposal lay with the government of India that shall fund them.
 The department, he said, shall also take care of the defunct projects in the state. “To make it sure that the projects are maintained, we have drafted a policy and are now waiting for the suggestions. Once everything is done, local entrepreneurs as well as those from outside can come forward; and it is mandatory for the outsiders to take locals on board,” he said
 Addressing entrepreneurs, he said the market wide open for them and was much better in micro-hydel projects. “Neither we lack the will, nor the money; the funding is being provided like anything by the government of India,” he said, adding that they shall provide them land on lease basis.
 Mehdi said there was a need to realize that non-conventional energy was something “our future is attached with.”
 Responding to a speaker’s point, he said even if political instability existed in the state, it was nowhere justified for the society not to pay for what it utilized. “I can see many societies, where uncertainty exists, but then how can be they irresponsible?” he said.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 26 May 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 26 May 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 27 May 2010 00:00:00 IST