Imphal on Solar city project map
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 17 2008: The State capital Imphal has been included among 60 select cities of the country where the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is to take up 'Solar City Project' with the main objective of reducing wastage of power through theft, transmission and use of outmoded bulbs and other electrical appliances.

Disclosing this to The Sangai Express, an official source informed that Imphal and Kohima are the only two cities that have been selected for the project from among the North Eastern States.

Solar street lamp-File photo

In Manipur, the project would be implemented by the Imphal Municipal Council as the nodal agency along with technical support from Manipur Renewable Energy Development Agency and policy formulation would be worked out by MAHUD Dept, the source disclosed, adding that an external expert consultant would be hired for the purpose of preparing a master plan of the project.

The expert consultant to be hired would be finalised after a joint meeting of the officials of the State Government and the Ministry at New Delhi on November 24, the source said, adding that implementation of the project is to begin from next year.

The source further disclosed that to ensure successful implementation of the project and to monitor its progress, a Solar City Cell would be opened in Imphal Municipal Council and the Municipal Building Bye-laws would be amended.

Along with that steps would be taken up for promotion of energy efficient bulbs like CFL (Compact Florescence Lamp), LED (Light Emitting Diode), etc in every household of Imphal city to reduce consumption of power and Government and private buildings would be designed as energy efficient buildings.

Furthermore, to cut down consumption of energy level in Government and private buildings, energy audit would be conducted and use of solar street lamps and solar water heaters would be promoted/ encouraged, the source said.

Public awareness would also be launched to ensure the successful implementation of the project, the source added.

Meanwhile, another source informed that though many working in the field of renewable energy, domestic as well foreign firms including in Singapore and Israel, have expressed interest on investing in the power sector, nothing has materialised as there is no definite investment policy of the State.

So there is an urgent need to formulate an investment policy to allow the companies to invest in the power sector of the State.