On the occasion of World Environment Day, taking forward the ambition of achieving Carbon Neutrality in Ladakh, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony to establish a 5 MW Solar Power Plant at Zanskar, Kargil was virtually held between UT Administration, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Kargil and Convergence Energy Services Ltd (CESL) in the presence of the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, RK Mathur on Saturday.
The LG, addressing the event shared that it is the first of many such projects in Ladakh’s endeavor to achieve Carbon Neutrality and thanked CESL for taking up the challenge of working in the harsh terrain of Zanskar, adding that CESL’s objectives and profile matches the needs of Ladakh viz decentralized-efficient energy generation, rural solutions and innovative financing models.
The LG stressed on Ladakh’s potential in renewable energies such as Solar, Wind, Hydro and Geothermal and spoke of the projects being conceptualized with the help of the Solar Energy Corporation India (SECI) and expected projects with National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPCL) and other possible projects with CESL.
LG Mathur thanked the Home Minister and Minister of Power for their guidance to fulfill Ladakh’s needs.
LG Mathur, commending MP Ladakh Jamyang Tsering Namgyal’s initiative of conducting the month-long winter sports festival in Zanskar, stated that the de-centralized availability of power will not only cater to needs of lighting, cooking, irrigation and food processing industries but also boost tourism opportunities to achieve a holistic development of the region.
LG Mathur also spoke of the successful decentralized solar power project in Latoo village, Kargil which today caters to the villages’ drinking and irrigation needs and stated that such models may be replicated in other villages with similar requirements and expressed hope for the immediate and successful implementation of the project.
He also requested CESL to study this model and advise UT Administration on the best way forward.