Odisha’s Konark, along with its historic Sun temple, will be converted to a solar town soon. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched an initiative to turn the Sun temple of Konark into ‘Surya Nagri’, meaning ‘Sun Town’. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is in charge of the entire solarization work. Also, the Indian government will pay ₹25 crores for the completion of the project. Read on to know the details.
Konark In Odisha To Become A Solar Town Soon
As per the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, the solarization scheme will include setting up a 10 MW grid-connected solar project. The scheme will also incorporate applications like solar power plants with battery storage, solar drinking water kiosks, etc. The implementation of the scheme by the Odisha Renewable Energy Development Agency will be meeting all the solar energy requirements of the town. A year back, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy had stated in a press release that the Indian government has set a target of installing 1,00,000 MW grid-connected solar power capacity in the country. By October 2019, the authorities had already set up a total solar power capacity of around 31,696 MW.
The Odisha government has also planned to start day-cruise services on five locations of the state, namely Chilika lake, Bhitarkanika mangroves, Hirakud Reservoir, River Mahanadi and Satkosia gorge. The cruise services can give a major boost to the revenue earned from the state tourism sector.
Also Read: A 500-Year-Old Temple Resurfaces In Odisha
Other Examples Of Solar Power Utilization In India
Guwahati station is the first railway station in the country to be fully run on solar power. There are around 2,352 solar modules set up on the roof of Guwahati station. The Milan Vihar cooperative society in East Delhi is also a solar-powered colony. The elderly lady, Selvamma, popularly known as Solar-Amma, uses a solar-powered fan to roast corn. Apart from these, the biggest mosque in Mumbai’s Malad, The Noorani Masjid uses solar power to cut down electricity costs and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
Also Read: Telangana Turning Sustainable With Solar Panels!
Pollution levels in major cities have dipped by around 50 percent during the coronavirus lockdown. The introduction of solar energy in the country will boost up nature’s healing process, ensuring a cleaner environment in the long run. On that note, allow us to take y’all through the lush green stretches of Odisha’s Similipal forest.
