The Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said here on Monday that the state government was trying to harness green energy on a large scale in the state.

“Tenders have been invited for setting up seven solar power projects of total capacity of 72 MW, which are being evaluated,” he said, adding that their work would be allotted to the concerned companies this month. Apart from this, survey and investigation of eight projects of 325 MW is going on, he added.

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“For the first time the government was moving towards developing 200 panchayats of the state as ‘Green Panchayats’ in which 200 KV ground mounted solar plants would be installed and the income from them would be spent on the development works of the Panchayat,” he said.

CM said that in the solar energy sector, the 32 MW Pekhubela Solar Power Project in Una district was dedicated to the public on April 15 last and in the six and a half month period from April to October last, 34.19 million units of electricity has been generated through this project, generating an income of Rs 10.16 crore.

He further said that apart from this, a 5 MW solar power project at Bhanjal in Una district was started on November 30 last, while the construction work of 10 MW Aghlaur Solar Power Project is also expected to be completed this month. Sukhu said that the present state government is taking several steps towards making Himachal Pradesh the country’s first ‘Green Energy’ by 2026 so that there is no damage to the environment of the state.

“While harnessing green energy will help in environmental conservation, carbon emissions will also be reduced. Green energy sources are renewable and do not get exhausted, which ensures availability of energy to future generations and plays an important role in reducing the ill-effects of climate change,” said he.

Apart from this, draft DPR of two tonnes per day capacity plant of compressed Bio-gas has been prepared, he said, adding that grid connected roof top solar plants and water heating systems will also be installed in the state’s Bal and Balika Ashrams, Vridha Ashrams and Rajiv Gandhi Model Day-Boarding Schools.