Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Dec 22: The prestigious 5000 Mega Watt solar power project for cold desert region may run into rough weather as Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh has put several conditions before the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy with the warning that Council would not allow the project to take off unless these demands are considered.
In the entire country, only Ladakh and Rajasthan were identified for establishment of such Ultra Mega Solar Power Projects as a part of Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s policy to tap the solar power potential on large scale.
Accordingly, several rounds of discussions were held between the Ministry, State Government, Union Ministry of Power and Ladakh Renewable Energy Development Agency and finally Joint Secretary in the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy sent formal communication to the Leh district administration for identification of 20,000 kanals of land for establishment of plant.
The Ministry wants to fully tap the solar energy potential and evacuate the energy from the region to other parts of the country. In this regard, it has decided to construct the project in phased manner so that till the completion of entire project the proper power evacuation facility also comes up, sources said.
It is pertinent to mention here that at present there is no connectivity of Leh with Northern Grid as a result of which surplus power, if any, cannot be taken out for supply in other parts of J&K and country.
But hurdles have cropped up even before the start of the work on the prestigious project as Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh has made it clear to the Renewable Energy Ministry that unless its demands were considered there would not be any cooperation from the Council and rather it would oppose the project tooth and nail, sources told EXCELSIOR.
Under the LAHDC Act, the land is vested with the Council and its consent is required for utilization of public land in the district for any sort of project. But at the same time there is also a provision that State Government can overrule any decision of the Council.
“The issue of sparing such a huge land came up for discussion in the General Council meeting of the LAHDC Leh few days back and majority of the Councilors led by Chief Executive Councilor, Rigzin Spalbar were of the opinion that Union Ministry should first concede the demands projected before it otherwise they would not allow the project to take off”, sources said.
When contacted, Mr Spalbar said, “this is the question of livelihood of nomadic people as with the construction of ultra mega solar power project on such a huge chunk of land the nomads would be deprived of pastures. We will not allow this to happen”.
“The hydel projects do not deprive people of the water being used in production of electricity but solar power plant would snatch the pastures from nomads once for all as such their future is to be secured before becoming facilitator to the execution of this project”, he said.
The CEC informed that he has already conveyed the stand of LAHDC to Prime Minister, Union Renewable Energy Minister and even State Government. “Let the Ministry assure us in writing that our demands would be considered we will start convincing the people for utilization of land”, he made it clear.
About the demands, he said that free electricity should be given to the entire district from this ultra mega solar plant and people whose land would be acquired should be adequately compensated. Even royalty should be given to the Hill Council so that the same could be utilized for the developmental activities.
However, sources said that instead of adopting rigid stand the Hill Council should become facilitator for early start of work on the project as this is 100% Centrally funded and would be of immense help in changing the developmental profile of Ladakh.
“Only those issues should be stressed which are justified from all parameters and hopefully Union Government would not want to snatch livelihood of the people and deny them due compensation”, they said.
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