J&K government will make Ladakh self sufficient in power,also export power from Ladakh : CM

Leh -Ladakh, June 14 (Scoop News) –J & K Chief Minister Omar  Abdullah today said the state government will not only make Ladakh self sufficient in power but also export power from Ladakh to other regions of the state after the commissioning of the Rs 950 crore Srinagar – Leh Transmission Line approved by the Prime Minister recently

He said that the state government will harness the Hydro and Non-conventional energy resources of Ladakh to its optimum and provide clean energy to Ladakh region thereby reducing the usage of diesel and kerosene in the area.. This transmission line, he said ,will cater to the winter requirement of Ladakh region as well, thereby mitigating the region’s power shortage. The Chief Minister laid stress on the strengthening of LREDA & KREDA and urged the concerned to  ensure that all the new initiatives being taken up for harnessing non-conventional energy should be financially sustainable stand alone models so that maximum benefit could reach those living below the poverty line.

            The Chief Minister along with the Union Minister for New & Renewable Energy Dr. Farooq Abdullah reviewed the 473 crore Ladakh Renewable Energy Project which is a centrally sponsored project slated to be completed by 2013. Under the project 266 crore will be expended on 30 small Hydro Electric plants of various capacities totaling 23.5 MW and 70 villages of Ladakh region will be provided Solar PV Plants of capacity  40 – 50 KW each. The project also envisages providing solar energy to 120 institutions including health centers, schools of 5 – 10 KW capacity. By 2013, 5500 Green Houses will be constructed and 25000 sq mtr of solar collector area will be created for servicing the solar thermal heaters in Ladakh.

            Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister along with the Union Minister inspected the 45 MW Nemo Bazgo Hydro Electric Project being constructed under the Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Programme. He directed the executing agencies, the NHPC, to fast track the pace of construction of the project so that it can be commissioned by the proposed deadline of February 2011. He directed that the machinery component of the project should be installed by December 2010.

            The Union Minister for New & Renewable Energy Dr. Farooq Abdullah also stressed on the timely completion of the Nemo Bazgo project to ensure the fulfillment of the people’s aspiration from the project. He said the need for timely completion of the project would be taken up by him in the Union Cabinet meeting to be held on the next Thursday at Delhi. He said he will also take up the issue of early completion of the project with the Union Power Minister and the Prime Minister. Dr. Abdullah suggested that the state government should immediately recruit the technical staff for timely implementation of the Ladakh Renewable Energy Project which he said is going to benefit the people of Ladakh particularly those living in far flung remote areas of the region.

            The Minister for Tourism Nawang Rigzin Jora and the CEC LAHDC Chering Dorgey also participated in the deliberations and offered their suggestions for effective implementation of Ladakh Renewable Energy Project.

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