UT gives 6 more months to install solar plants

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 21

Giving relief to residents, the Chandigarh Administration has extended the deadline for installing solar plants by six months. Sources said the decision was taken after a large number of associations of traders, industrialists and residents approached the Administration seeking an extension of the deadline citing various reasons. The sources said UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore had given the nod for the relaxation and a formal notification in this regard would be issued soon.

The Administration, in a notification issued on May 18, 2016, had made installation of rooftop solar power plants mandatory in houses and commercial and industrial units measuring 500 sq yards and above as well as in group housing societies.

While the solar plants were mandatory in new houses, the owners of the existing houses were earlier given two years to comply with the direction. The sources said there were 7,500 residential, commercial and industrial units measuring 500 sq yards and above which would have to install the solar plants. Only 550 houses have installed the solar plants so far. The Administration has fixed a target of generating 50 MW by 2022. It is providing subsidy to the residents to install the solar panel.