VP Naidu Urges States to Mandate Solar Power Installation

Vice President Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday appealed to all states and local bodies to make solar rooftop plants, solar water heaters and rainwater harvesting mandatory for large buildings and government organizations while adopting model building by-laws.

He further called upon large institutions and public sector organisations to strive towards sustainability in their operations by using renewable energy. Greater adoption of rooftop solar plants in industries and big establishments like universities and government buildings and godowns, the Vice President said while dedicating a 1.5 megawatt rooftop solar plant in Puducherry to the nation.

In May this year, the Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) released an e-tender for 5 MW of grid-connected rooftop solar PV plants on government buildings anywhere in Chandigarh and the state of Punjab.

Naidu also said solar rooftops not only use empty areas on the building, but also generate power close to the point of consumption and reduce transmission losses. He called upon all states to work together to popularise the tapping of solar energy and bring greater awareness among people on the benefits of installing solar panels on their rooftops.

There is also a need to launch massive campaigns to publicize the subsidy programmes for solar rooftop systems and the resultant electricity savings, he said.

Referring to the lessons from the pandemic, he stressed upon the importance of ventilation and air circulation in buildings. “Sunlight is a natural disinfectant. Our ancestors understood this – it reflected in their planning and construction of houses”, he was quoted as saying. He underscored the need to create living and working spaces with ample ventilation and natural light in order to maintain good health.

“Our ancestors understood this – it reflected in their planning and construction of houses. We must learn from these practices and create living and working spaces with ample ventilation and natural light. Let us take this key lesson from the pandemic,” the Vice President said.