BBMP looks up to sun for powering the City

For Bangaloreans perennially at the mercy of power disruptions, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) could come out with a solar solution. The Mayor has issued a note to formulate an action plan to electrify all government and ‘private buildings’ that would be under construction within its limits, through solar energy.

With the demand for power surging by 18 per cent annually, as indicated by the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom), the Palike could make the use of solar energy mandatory for the buildings owned by State Government, BBMP and private buildings.

The note issued by Mayor D Venkatesh Murthy on May 8, 2012, has emphasised the need to encourage the use of solar energy so that the demand could be met. “Bangalore is growing indiscriminately. The City’s population has increased by several fold and so has the demand for power. With the power crisis worsening, all the buildings within BBMP limits must generate their own power for consumption,” says the note.

Citing the scarcity of rainfall that has affected the power generation in the State, the Mayor said that the people in Bangalore were bearing the brunt and stressed that an action would be chalked out to deal with it. He said that the proposal would be placed before a meeting of the Council.

The Mayor pointed out that new Palike buildings such as the Kandaya Bhavan, inaugurated on Wednesday, were fitted with solar photovoltaic panels to generate solar energy. This would be extended to other buildings. On the lines of rain water harvesting (RWH), this requirement was likely to be made mandatory. Implementation would be under the guidance of Bescom.

The first citizen said generating solar energy would be an added benefit as it would facilitate power supply at low cost and ensure zero pollution.