Palli becomes India’s first ‘carbon neutral panchayat’

The nondescript hamlet of Palli in Jammu and Kashmir’s border district of Samba on Sunday became the country’s first ‘carbon neutral panchayat’ with Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicating to the nation a 500 KV solar plant, installed in a record time of nearly three weeks.

The prime minister said that Palli has shown the way to the country by becoming carbon neutral.

”People of Palli have helped in the project. They have also provided food to people engaged in the project,” he said. In all 1,500 solar panels put up in a total area of 6,408 square metres will provide clean electricity to 340 houses in the model panchayat under the central government’s ‘Gram Urja Swaraj’ programme, officials said.

”It is a red letter day for us. With the blessing of Modi ji, the village has entered into history of India as first carbon neutral solar village. We thank the prime minister for choosing this hamlet across the country,” Palli villager Gurdeep Singh said.

The project was completed at a cost of Rs 2.75 crore in a record time, officials said. The electricity generated will be distributed to the village, having a daily requirement of 2,000 units, through the local power grid station.