Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, June 24: Despite substantial investment, solar power has failed to light up several Government institutions in Jammu and Kashmir mainly due to the hegemony of the manufacturers and suppliers of solar photovoltaics plants. Shockingly, both the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and Jammu and Kashmir Energy Development Agency are acting as mute spectator instead of taking corrective measures thereby rendering the investment as unfruitful.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that in order to tap abundant solar energy in the country, the Union Government in January 2010 launched Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission. The focus on solar energy was laid keeping in mind the fact that it is environment friendly and has zero emissions while generating heat or energy. Moreover, from energy security perspective, solar energy is the most secure of all sources and it also leads to the ultimate objective of clean development mechanism.
Accordingly, all the States across the country were asked to start making use of the various components of the Mission to achieve the desired goal. One of the important components of the Mission is off-grid renewable energy. Under this component solar photovoltaics (Solar PV) roof-top systems are established for reducing the dependence on hydel power or diesel for power generation.
In Jammu and Kashmir, establishment of solar photovoltaics roof-top systems although started at very slow speed but with the passage of time the same gained momentum with Government laying required focus on lighting up its buildings particularly in far-off areas through solar energy. For the convenience of the States, the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy shared lists of empanelled and other manufacturers and supplies of solar photovoltaics plants/systems, sources said.
During the process of establishment of Solar PV plants on roof-top of Government buildings, the Jammu and Kashmir Energy Development Agency (JAKEDA) entered into Comprehensive Maintenance Contract with the manufacturers/suppliers. However, this contract is being violated by several manufacturers/suppliers with impunity thereby rendering huge number of Solar PV plants non-functional during the past quite long time, sources informed.
The hegemony on the part of the manufacturers/suppliers can be gauged from the fact that the complaints about non-functioning of plants/systems lodged with them in the third quarter of previous financial year are pending for action till date.
Sources said that Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology-Jammu, which had installed off-grid Solar PV plant, had lodged complaint against REIL Jaipur about non-functioning of batteries last year but till date no action has been taken by the manufacturer.
The authorities of Sub-District Hospitals at DH Pora, Ganderbal, Gurez, Bandipora and Shangus had lodged complaints against the manufacturers vis-à-vis non functioning of the plants more than three months back but till date the complaints have not been attended by manufacturers.
Similar is the fate of solar PV plants installed in Primary Health Centres of Lar, Uri, Qazigund, Dangiwacha, Community Health Centres of Khag, Beerwah, Bijbehara and District Hospitals of Pulwama and Baramulla. Besides these health institutions, there are many more buildings of other Government departments where solar PV plants have also been lying non-functional.
On one side the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is watching the situation as mute spectator instead of taking action against the manufacturers on the other side JAKEDA has not initiated any step to get these plants functional by strictly enforcing the clauses of the Comprehensive Maintenance Contract whereunder the plants are required to be maintained by the manufacturers for five years.
The non-serious attitude on the part of JAKEDA is notwithstanding the fact that the Agency was established with the main objective of promoting and implementing projects aimed at meeting the energy requirements by harnessing new and renewable sources of energy such as solar.
When contacted, Chief Executive Officer of JAKEDA, Shafat Sultan confirmed that large number of solar PV plants have been lying non-functional and complaints have been lodged with the manufacturers/suppliers. He, however, could not specify what steps have been taken to get these plants made functional to achieve the objective of National Solar Mission.
“We are regularly taking up the issue with the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and hopefully something positive will come out in near future”, he added.
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