Visakha Dairy turns to solar power

The power array was set up at Akkireddipalem to produce 1.15 MW

Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao, after inaugurating a solar power system at Visakha Dairy at Akkireddipalem in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday. Visakha Dairy chairman Adari Tulasi Rao is seen. Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam

Visakha Dairy reached another milestone with the inauguration of a 1.15 MW solar power system to meet its energy demands on Wednesday.

The huge array of solar panels is set up in a five-acre land at Akkireddipalem behind Visakha Dairy and connected to it by Renen Solar Private Limited.

It generates 16 lakh units of power a year.

Minister for Investment and Infrastructure Ganta Srinivasa Rao, who inaugurated the system set up at a cost of Rs.7.5 crore, said that with the installation, the dairy had reached another milestone. Solar power acquired more significance with government announcing power-cut with purchasing power from neighbouring States becoming difficult in a scarcity scenario. Solar power has no environmental pollution like thermal power, he pointed out.

Recalling his association with Visakha Dairy Chairman Adari Tulasi Rao since 1999, he said he always had the interests of farmers at his heart and income from revenue helped them tide over hard times caused by drought.

He cited the construction of reservoir near Chodavaram by the dairy to which he donated Rs.10 lakh from his MPLADS funds.

In the three north coastal districts farmers had always banked on the support of the dairy.

The Minister said the issue of alienating land to the proposed old-age home would be cleared soon.

Fear of loss

Mr. Tulasi Rao said he had decided to go in for solar power after a power cut created fear of huge loss of a few crores.

He said it would be expanded to meet total requirement of 7 MW efforts would be made to acquire land and complete in two years. He said when it came to development there was no room for politics.

Former minister Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy described the dairy as a pillar of strength to farmers and wanted a Padma award to be conferred on Mr. Tulasi Rao.

Chairmen of Krishna, Rangareddy-Nalgonda and Karimnagar, Janakiramayya, Jitender Reddy and Rajeswara Rao recalled the co-operation and guidance of Mr. Tulasi Rao and described him as Kurien of Andhra Pradesh. Chodavaram MLA K.S.N. Raju spoke.

Gajuwaka MLA Ch. Venkataramaiah, dairy managing director S.V. Ramana and former corporators G. Amarnath and G. V. Krishna Rao participated.