Developed countries throughout the world are trying to harness solar energy in order to overcome the energy crisis which is becoming more and more serious day after day. Scientists have given the hope that solar energy, if properly developed and harnessed, could become a viable source of energy so as to overcome the existing deficit anywhere. Our country does not lag behind in pursuit of harnessing solar energy. That is the reason why we have a separate ministry called Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. In 2013-14, this Ministry announced building two mega solar parks one in Leh of 5000 MW and the other in Kargil of 2500 MW. This was a welcome announcement because the two far flung areas remain cut off from the world for maximum months in a year. The people were joyous as they would get uninterrupted power for heating and cooking purposes. The Ministry said that the two areas had huge potential for developing solar parks.
But notwithstanding all the tall talk nothing has been done during last five years that would show that the Union or the State ministries are really interested in establishing solar parks. In reply to a question of Congress MLA from Leh, the Minister for Science and Technology, Sajad Lone said, the work could not be started mainly because of non-availability of adequate land in both the districts (10,000 hectares in Leh and 5000 hectares in Kargil). The reply that land is not available is ambiguous. Is there no land at all that could be made use of is one of the two possibilities. The other possibility is that the people are not prepared to give the land which the Government would like to acquire from the owners after paying them adequate compensation.
We hope that both the parks will be established without further delay.
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