Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, June 23: To take on the might of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the Union Government has decided to construct small 20 mw solar power projects close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China in Leh to help Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) light up the LAC and man it in better and effective manner and keep strict surveillance on the other side.
Entire LAC on the Chinese side is lit up with regular electricity, which helps the PLA better man and patrol on their side. Construction of micro solar power projects will help the troops to improve their other infrastructure on the LAC especially the electronic gadgets that runs with electricity.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the Government of India in consultations with the State Government has given nod for construction of 20 mw solar power projects in both districts of Ladakh region—Leh and Kargil. Though the focus will be on LAC with China, the Centre has also included Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan in Kargil apart from civilian areas of the region for construction of micro solar power projects.
“The Centre Government has decided to fully fund the solar projects not only along LAC and LoC for Army and ITBP but even for the civilian areas of mountainous Ladakh region, which will help the people overcome power shortage to some extent in the hilly districts,’’ sources said, adding the Union Ministry for Energy was engaged in preparing the projects as per the demand of Army and ITBP.
However, they said, as far as civilian areas were concerned, they will be identified by the State Government taking into account feasibility and requirement of the projects and submitted to the Government of India for final approval. They added that there was no bar from the Centre on total number of projects as far as the LAC with China in Leh and LoC with Pakistan in Kargil was concerned. However, number of the projects for civilian areas in Ladakh will be confined to remote and far off areas but later their number was likely to be increased.
“Feasibility of the projects in both civilian as well as defence areas will be assessed by the special teams of the Union Energy Ministry after areas are identified by the State Government before giving go ahead to the solar power projects since they will be fully funded by the Government of India keeping in view the needs of the people living in mountain locked district, which has huge power shortfall,’’ sources said.
Noting that the new proposal by the Central Government will go a long way in fulfilling needs of not only the security forces, who were battling poor infrastructure along LAC with China, but also the local people, who were facing acute shortage of electricity especially in far off and remote areas of Ladakh region, sources said the Centre has devised the entire proposal taking into account considerations of both troops as well as the local people.
“While needs of Army and ITBP, who were guarding the LAC with China in very tough terrain were always a top priority, the Government also wants to focus equally on needs of the common man of Ladakh, who for the past several years, has been living very tough life in the absence of adequate power supply,’’ sources said.
Hoping to put the new scheme into action very soon, sources said, the Government of India will shortly send their teams to Ladakh for on spot study to examine areas, where such power projects would be feasible and give nod for their construction soon.
It may be mentioned here that the NDA Government has taken construction of infrastructure along the LAC with China as top priority as China has build up huge infrastructure on their side of LAC with China including construction of metalled roads and power projects.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel