Rajasthan Governor Margaret Alva has opposed the implementation of power projects in the Western Ghats region.
She was speaking after the inauguration of Green Summit at the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) here on Thursday, which was observed as World Environment Day. Ms. Alva said generating energy from alternative sources would control the damage to the environment and enable States to remain self-sufficient in power generation.
She opposed sanctioning of power projects in coastal districts, including Uttara Kannada, from where she hails. Uttara Kannada already had atomic energy and hydro power projects. Sanctioning more power projects to one district would damage the flora and fauna there, she said.
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Majority of the States in the country had been facing power shortage. The governments need to focus on generating power from alternative sources such as wind, solar and biogas, she said.
The country should generate at least 32,000 MW of solar power by 2020-22, she said, and appealed to States to rope in the private sector for harnessing solar energy. The Rajasthan government had given emphasis to setting up grid-connected rooftop solar power plants, she said.
Karnataka is the first State to implement a solar policy to ensure self-sufficiency in the energy sector.
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The State Cabinet recently approved a revised solar energy policy - 2014–21, which is aimed at encouraging farmers to set up small solar power plants with a capacity of 1 MW to 3 MW in their farms.
Chief Secretary Kaushik Mukherjee said the State government had decided to attract private players to invest in the energy sector.