J&K: Palli Becomes India’s First ‘Carbon Neutral Panchayat’

This development took place as Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation a 500 kilowatt solar plant, installed in a record time of nearly three weeks, PTI reported.

Palli carbon-neutral panchayat (Image: ANI)

New Delhi: The ordinary hamlet of Palli in Jammu and Kashmir’s Samba district on Sunday became the country’s first ‘carbon-neutral panchayat’.

This development took place as Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation a 500 kilowatt solar plant, installed in a record time of nearly three weeks, PTI reported.

Prime Minister Modi said that Palli has shown the way to the nation by becoming carbon neutral.

“With the inauguration of a 500 kW solar power plant at Palli, it is moving towards becoming the country’s first panchayat to become carbon-neutral,” he said in his address in Palli.

Prime Minister Modi said the people of Palli have demonstrated what ‘sabka prayas’ can do.

“The people of Palli have helped in the project. They have also provided food to people engaged in the project,” he added.

All 1,500 solar panels put up in a total area of 6,408 square metres, as per the officials, will provide clean electricity to 340 houses in the model panchayat under the Centre’s ‘Gram Urja Swaraj’ programme.

Palli villager Gurdeep Singh expressed his delight with this development stating “it is a red-letter day for us”.

“With the blessings of Modi ji, the village has entered into the history of India as the first carbon-neutral solar village. We thank the Prime Minister for choosing this hamlet across the country,” he added.

Palli’s Sarpanch Ravinder Sharma, who interacted with Prime Minister Modi, told him that the village has LED bulbs, solar cookers and solar stoves.

Responding to a poser by the Prime Minister whether the village has solar pumps for irrigation of farmlands, he said that 10 such pumps have been installed, adding 40 more will be installed in the next phase.

Prime Minister Modi asked the villagers to celebrate the birthday of their hamlet after fixing a date for it.

He also suggested to the villagers to go for organic farming stating it will be beneficial for them.

The officials said the solar project was completed at a cost of Rs 2.75 crore in a record time.