Go solar, Collector tells officials

Eluru: The district administration is going all out to use solar power systems in all government offices in a bid to reduce pressure on the traditional power grid.A Encouraged by the success of solar lighting equipment installation process in the district panchayat office at the district headquarters here, the District Collector, Dr Vani Mohan, has directed the district panchayat officer Alluri Nagaraju Verma to take the responsibility of installing the same at all the government offices in Eluru within a week to begin with. The subsidy amount would be released to the government offices, too, she said and asked every government official to make it a movement. She has also asked the officials to take steps to switch over to solar lamps in all the 887 panchayat offices in the district. She has directed the officials to place orders for the required equipment with the Non-conventional Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh Limited (Nedcap), keeping in view the electricity needs of each government office. This will go a long way in reducing pressure on the Transco and at the same time use clean energy at the government offices. In the same vein, she suggested to the rich and middle class people to switch over to solar energy. If we succeed in raising solar power consumption level to at least five million units, out of the required 12.3 million units in the district at present, we can bail out the district from power shortage, she observed. Claiming that the district stood as a model in the State by installing solar heaters in all the social welfare hostels, she sought people's cooperation in making the district a model in the use of solar energy in all walks of life. Though the initial cost of the equipment appears a little bit higher, one can avoid monthly power bills. It works out to be cheaper in the long run, she said.