Solar heating systems made must

He said the proposed project would supply 14 lakh litres of hot water to these establishments daily. The one-time installation cost would be recoverable within three to four years.

The solar water heaters to be installed shall have a life of 20 years with the manufacturer providing free maintenance for the first five years.

Aimed at conserving precious energy resources, this highly economical and eco-friendly project shall get going once the necessary notification is issued by the government shortly. The Council of Ministers has already given its nod this week.

According to Principal Secretary of the Department of Science, Technology, Environment and Non-Conventional Energy Y.S.Ratra, the decision was in pursuance of the directions issued by the Union Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources in December 1993 to this effect. Puri revealed that the project would be funded by individual government departments and PSUs and save them the recurring power costs. As regards the installation of similar systems in private buildings such as hotels, the Punjab government has asked the local bodies department to suitably amend the building bye-laws, the Punjab Municipal Act and the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act.

The proposed users of solar energy shall include 150 civil hospitals belonging to the Punjab Health Systems Corporation, hospitals of the state health department, 19 hotel complexes, restaurants and holiday homes of the Punjab Tourism Development Corporation, 50 guest houses of the Punjab State Electricity Board, Punjab Bhawans and Circuit Houses maintained by the hospitality department.

Already, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has shown the way by installing solar water heaters at his residence at Badal village in Muktsar district. He has been followed by Minister for Science and Environment Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal and the PWD Minister Harmel Singh. According to S.S.Sekhon, joint director, PEDA who looks after non-conventional energy systems, a solar water heating systems would be commissioned in Golden Temple Complex at Amritsar before the onset of winter at a cost of Rs 19 lakh, while two more for Guru Nanak Dev University and Punjabi University, Patiala were also in the pipeline. However, the more ambitious is the solar street lighting and water heater system proposed to be installed at three historic Gurdwaras at Anandpur Sahib and 14 surrounding villages before the end of March next to coincide with the tri-centenary celebrations of the Birth of Khalsa. It would cost Rs 3.41 crore.

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