Carbon neutral Palli panchayat facing power cuts, rejuvenation project shelved

Not much has changed in the first carbon neutral Palli panchayat in Samba district , as a month after PM Narendra Modi dedicated a 500 KV solar plant, the village is still experiencing power outages. Also various other projects for making Palli a model panchayat are moving at a snail’s pace due to the apathetic attitude of concerned authorities.

On April 24, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation a 500 KV solar plant, Palli in Samba became the first ‘carbon neutral panchayat’. In all 1,500 solar panels were put up in a total area of 6,408 square metres to provide clean electricity to 340 houses in the model panchayat. The electricity generated was to be distributed to the village, having a daily requirement of 2,000 units, through the local power grid station.
Now a month later the ground situation of the Palli Panchayat has changed much and things are moving at a snail’s pace.

The electric bus service, which was launched in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month, has been suspended since the last couple of weeks. Moreover a tender worth 1.77 crore for the rejuvenation of streets and drains of Palli Panchayat has also been suspended.

Palli pachayat got status of the country’s first carbon neutral panchayat, as A 500 kV capacity solar power plant is generating electricity daily in the Panchayat. A separate power transmission line needed to be installed for providing electricity to 340 houses is going to take a while before getting completed.

At present, the power generated is going in the grid, from where this electricity is being supplied through 11 kV line to the surrounding area including Palli.

Since this power is coming from the common distribution structure, the power cuts are the same as before. However, the strained power infrastructure has got some relief from receiving power from the solar power plant.
As per power department officials electricity is being transmitted to the grid station from the Solar Power plant installed in the Palli. Thereafter the electricity is being supplied through an 11 KV line. The additional power has lessened the load of Bari Brahmana Grid Station, which has improved the power supply in Palli and adjoining areas.

To achieve the status of carbon neutral panchayat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi started electric bus service for the villagers on April 24. According to villagers, the transport department has stopped the service after two weeks on the grounds of not getting enough passengers. As per locals if the department had introduced morning and afternoon operations, the staff and students could have taken advantage of it.

An official of the Jammu and Kashmir Road Transport Corporation said on the condition of anonymity that due to lukewarm response of the passengers the bus service was stopped, but if the need arises, we can resume the services.

For making Palli a model village, the streets and drains have to be made afresh. During the Prime Minister’s visit, a tender of Rs.1.77 crore was handed over to the Public Works Department for street rejuvenation. The tender was issued in a hurry because the construction of the rural area’s street and drain cannot be undertaken by the Public Works Department (PWD). However, under the second tender, the construction of helipad and tile installation inside and outside the panchayat house has been completed.

As per PWD two tenders were floated to complete the work in stipulated time. Two tenders were issued under the Palli Model Village, out of which the work of one has been completed. The second tender can be executed by any other agency instead of the Public Works Department.

The Prime Minister had stressed upon the Panchayati representatives to segregate dry and wet waste by holding a Gram Sabha. As of now this arrangement has not started. Dumping station work is under construction and is likely to be completed soon. Soon door to door garbage will be picked up and dumped in the dumping station.