The Hindu 21.08.2009
“Solar energy tapping should be made compulsory”
Special Correspondent
| Rajiv Gandhi Renewable and Non-Conventional Energy Day celebrated |
Photo: D. Gopalakrishnan 
C. Rajendran, Vellore Collector, presenting a prize to the winner of an inter-school competition conducted in connection with the Rajiv Gandhi Renewable and Non-Conventional Energy Day celebrations held at Voorhees College in Vellore on Thursday. C. Gnanasekharan, Vellore MLA, and Sheela Rajan, chairperson of Vellore district panchayat, are in the picture. —
VELLORE: The installation of a solar energy tapping system should be made compulsory and a condition by the local bodies for issuing building plan approvals for houses in order to encourage the harnessing of the abundant solar energy available in places like Vellore and reduce the use of electricity in the context of the power scarcity faced by the country, C. Gnanasekharan, Vellore MLA, said here on Thursday.
Speaking at the Rajiv Gandhi Renewable and Non-Conventional Energy Day celebrations organised by the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) and the Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency (TEDA) at Voorhees College, Mr. Gnanasekharan said that Vellore being a hot place where the sun glows with intensity during a major part of the year, it was ideal for harnessing solar energy. The availability of thermal energy and hydroelectric energy in India is not commensurate to the increase in the population and the consequent increase in the number of electricity consumers. He said that he would raise in the Assembly the issue of making solar energy tapping system compulsory for houses, just as the installation of a rain water harvesting structure has been made a condition for the issue of building plan approvals. The MLA requested the Vellore Collector C. Rajendran to request TEDA to conduct a survey of the wind potential in different parts of Vellore district in order to install windmills.
Mr. Rajendran said that solar lights have been installed in 548 out of the 753 village panchayats in Vellore district. They would soon be extended to all other village panchayats in the district. The solar heat available in Vellore district should be tapped to overcome the shortage of electricity. Power being an important input for the development of the country, non-conventional energy resources should be used as an alternative to conventional power resources such as thermal energy obtained from coal which had to be imported. Non-conventional energy equipments were available at cheap prices, he said. He wanted all three cooperative sugar mills in Vellore district to utilise energy from co-generation.
The Collector later distributed prizes to the winners of the inter-school and inter-collegiate competitions conducted in connection with the celebrations.
Thilagavathi Ramiah, member, Vellore District Renewable Energy Consultative Committee suggested the use of renewable energy such as solar energy for cooking purposes. It should be used for energising the street lights in remote villages, which did not have electricity, she said.
A. Chinnasamy, Pernambut MLA, said that renewable energy should be used liberally since it prevents environmental pollution. T.A. Mohammed Sadique, Deputy Mayor of Vellore Corporation, said that manufacturers of solar lamps should provide the statutory guarantee period for buyers in order to encourage more consumers to buy the lamps. Vijaya Rao, District Coordinator, Nehru Yuva Kendra and C. Andrews, member, Vellore District Renewable Energy Consultative Committee, spoke.
N. Aruljothi Arasan, Project Officer, DRDA, said that it was the former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi who by his far-sighted policy, laid the foundation for the developments that have taken place in the fields of science and technology in India, resulting in the excellence of Indian scientists and engineers in the developed countries such as the U.S. Daniel Ezhilarasu, Principal, Voorhees College, proposed a vote of thanks.
