Solar power for 4 Delhi gurdwaras

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 4

Come April and four Sikh shrines in Delhi—Bangla Sahib, Rakab Ganj, Nanak Piao and Majnu Ka Tila gurdwaras—will go green, tapping solar energy to meet their daily power needs.

These gurdwaras would be provided with rooftop solar panels having a total capacity of 1 MW, said Manjit Singh GK, president of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC). The project, to be commissioned by March 31, would generate around 4,000 units of power every day, taking it to around 1.3 million units every year, GK noted while adding that a ceremony would be held next week to start work on the project. Around 3,125 solar panels would be installed on the rooftops of these gurdwaras, he said.

Stating that 1 MW of solar power reduces 1,300 tonnes of carbon dioxide emission per year, GK said the project would cut green house gas emission by 30,000 tonnes in 25 years. The project would be a tribute to the 7th Sikh Guru Har Rai whose love for nature and teaching for its preservation inspire the community to take care of environment, he added.

Harjit Singh, DSGMC’s renewable energy wing head, said the capacity of the project would be increased from 1 MW to 2 MW to meet growing future demand of these shrines.

The DSGMC was likely to save around Rs 60 lakh per year on power tariff due to this project and a company enlisted with the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) had been awarded the contract to execute the project, said DSGMC chief.