New Town canals light up green dreams

KOLKATA: In a bid to generate green energy, the Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (Hidco) has decided to install solar panels over all the canals flowing through Rajarhat. It will be a part of the Rajarhat-New Town solar city project and will also prevent pollution of the canal water.

Hidco officials recently reviewed the progress of the solar city project report. "There will be a component in the report on installation of photovoltaic panels over canals through New Town, including Bagjola canal and other link and periphery canals," said Hidco chairman cum managing director Debashis Sen.

He added that the draft report is likely to be completed by January. Sources said that to be called a solar city, at least 10% of the power used by the township will have to come from solar energy.

Street lighting, entertainment and community lighting are the standard areas where solar power is used. Two new concepts - energy efficiency and green building - have also been incorporated in the project and the authorities are currently working on elements such as solar water heater, solar streetlight, solar staircase light and green building.

"The concept is to develop Rajarhat into an energy-intelligent township, minimizing the use of conventional electricity and using renewable energy as much as possible," said an official.

The authorities are working to ascertain the areas in which the use of solar power can be maximized. Already, a long stretch of the major arterial road has been lit up with LED streetlights and more such lights will be installed on various roads in the township.

Hidco is also trying to introduce battery-run three wheelers on short routes. Discussions are on with the West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency to move ahead with the plan, an official said.

However, experts feel that with scarcity of adequate land for setting up solar power plants, it's best to install solar panels over waterbodies to generate power. Earlier, the Arka-IGNOU Community College of Renewable Energy had come up with a proposal to set up floating solar modules on the city's wetlands, particularly those in east Kolkata. The proposal has been sent to the Centre.

As a part of the Rajarhat New Town solar city project that was earlier announced by the Centre, the Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (Hidco) is preparing a draft report to place solar panels on the canals flowing through Rajarhat not only to generate green energy but also to protect the canal water from pollution. The draft report will be ready by January.

Hidco officials recently reviewed the preparation of the solar city project report. "It was discussed that there should be a component in the report that solar photovoltaic panels may be placed over the canals that goes through New Town including Bagjola canal and the other link and periphery canals. This will protect the canal water from pollution and will also give enough space to generate green energy through the solar panels on the canals," said Hidco chairman cum managing director Debashis Sen.

To be a solar city, at least 10% of the power the township uses will have to come from solar energy. Street lighting, entertainment and community lighting are the standard areas where solar power is used and two more aspects - energy efficiency and green building - were also incorporated in the solar city concept to broaden the concept. Elements such as solar water heater, solar streetlight, solar staircase light and green building are all part of the solar city concept on which the authorities are working on.

"The concept is to develop Rajarhat New Town into an energy-intelligent township, minimizing the use of conventional electricity and using more renewable energy as much as possible," said an official.

The authorities are working as to which areas the use of solar power could be maximised and effectively. Already, a long stretch of the major arterial road has been lighted up with LED streetlights and more such lights will be installed on various roads in the township. The authorities are working on introducing battery-run three wheelers to run in short routes Hidco was in touch with the West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency to move on with the plans.

Experts said that with scarcity of adequate land for setting up solar power plants, using the waterbodies for installing solar panels could be very useful for generating solar power. Earlier, the Arka-IGNOU Community College of Renewable Energy that was set up came up with an innovative proposal to install floating type solar modules on the wetlands of the city, particularly on the waterbodies of east Kolkata wetlands. The proposal has been sent to the centre.

It is good thinking but in Bengal, will it work?

On VIP Road, beautiful bus stands have been made but the seats in them have been pilfered in most cases.

The trident light which has been in the news for the last few months have already started going off in may parts of VIP road owing to lack of maintenance or pilferage.

Look into any compartment of a EMU.

You will find, lights, fans and switches and even seats, windows and doors missing The solar panels will be installed with much fanfare but within a few months will all be stolen.