Krishna district Collector Budha Prakash M. Jyothi has set the ball rolling for transformation of Vijayawada into a solar city by approving the proposals submitted by the New and Renewable Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh (NREDCAP).

In the wake of a rapid rise in demand for electricity, development of solar cities is seen as the most viable proposition. It is designed to encourage local governing bodies to prepare a road map to guide their cities in becoming ‘renewable energy cities’ or ‘solar cities’.

Vijayawada is the only city in Andhra Pradesh that figures out in the list of ‘solar cities’.To ensure optimum utilisation of solar energy to meet the objective of a solar city status, the local authorities plan to entrust the task of motivating individuals and various sectors to a group of departments.

“A group of sectors have been attached to different government wings that will take shoulder the responsibility of bringing these segments into the fold of solar energy users,” said NREDCAP Executive Engineer K. Srinivasa Rao.

As per the master plan, Municipal Health Officers, Regional Inspection Officers of the Board of Intermediate, RDO, Vijayawada and Town Planning Officers will coordinate to educate and motivate persons concerned with the city hotels and hostels.

Municipal Health Officers and District Coordinator, Arogyasri, Vijayawada, will coordinate with hospitals, Deputy Commissioners in the Departments of Labour and Commercial Taxes and town planning officers will wield their influence on local traders, shop-keepers and other commercial establishments.

Similarly, the Additional Joint Collector, Krishna district will encourage government officers while the District Education Officer, the Deputy District Education Officer in the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation and the Chief City Planner will shoulder the responsibility of schools and colleges, including private institutions.

The solar city project aims at minimum 10% reduction in projected demand of conventional energy at the end of five years, through a combination of enhancing supply from renewable energy sources in the city and energy efficiency measures. With the duty margins chalked out for each category, it is now time for constitution of a Solar City Cell and a Solar City Stake Holders’ Committee.

“The Municipal Commissioner will organise a meeting of all the stake-holders to involve them actively in meeting the objective of a solar city,” said Mr. Rao.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by P. Sujatha Varma / December 06th, 2012