CHIKKABALLAPUR : To increase solar power generation under the Prime Minister’s Kusum-C scheme, the state government is looking to use deemed forest land in various parts of the state, starting from Chikkaballapur and surrounding areas.
Chikkaballapur Deputy Commissioner G Prabhu said there are 20,000 hectares of deemed forest land in and around the district which could be utilised for solar power generation.
To execute this project, a joint survey is being done by district administration officials along with revenue and forest departments to identify land parcels.
Prabhu said Supreme Court guidelines pertaining to land parcels and prescribed green cover will be kept in mind during the survey. Once identified, land parcels will be submitted to the state government for further communication and directions, after which it will be used for setting up solar panels for generating power under the Kusum-C scheme, he said.
Of the total deemed forest land, the government is looking at 11,000-12,000 hectares for solar power generation, aiming to help farmers in the district, Prabhu said. He was speaking on the sidelines of a detailed interaction with the media on utilisation of government and farm/private lands for Kusum-C power scheme.
The government has also started to tap lakebed land. Bangalore Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (Bescom) Managing Director N Shivashankara said that under this scheme, solar panels are installed in government or private/farm land to generate solar power, which is relayed to feeders located within a 6-8km radius, from where uninterrupted power is supplied for 7 hours to farmers’ irrigation pumpsets.
Under this scheme, lakebed lands are also being utilised for installation of solar panels. A successful project was done in Kundana Lake in Devanahalli, where 40acres of the total 120-acre lake land has been utilised for installation of solar panels to generate 16MW power.
Shivashankara said this is the first and biggest in Karnataka so far. He clarified that lakebed lands are being identified with the minor irrigation department and Karnataka Tank Conservation and Development Authority. Also, National Green Tribunal directions, court orders and KTCDA rules are being adhered to while utilising lake land.
The height of solar panels is being raised by an additional 1.2m compared to normal height to ensure the rise in water level during a good monsoon does not affect the panels and power generation. Panels in lakebeds are installed in non-waterbody areas, he said.
Installation of solar panels on eight more lakes is also under way. Reacting to the utilisation of deemed forest lands, forest officials said there is no order to hand over land to the state government.
The Supreme Court has ordered for a re-survey in Karnataka. it is being done in coordination with the revenue department at a very slow pace. Efforts are also being made to increase deemed forest land parcels in the state to improve green cover from the existing 20 per cent to the required 33 per cent.
