Gual Pahari (Gurgaon), July 1
A renewable energy-based smart mini-grid system, the first of its kind in the country, was formally commissioned on the campus of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) here today.

The system, which uses advanced digital and control techniques, has been designed and developed by TERI with support from the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and others.

Dr Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy; Union power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, and TERI Director-General RK Pachauri were present at the commissioning ceremony.

Dr Abdullah observed that full-capacity utilization of multiple energy sources like coal, sun, nuclear material, wind and biomass etc could meet the country’s ever-increasing energy requirement.

Minister Shinde said:“The losses in power transmission are to the tune to 3 to 4 per cent in countries like Japan, South Korea and the USA whereas these are as high as 25 per cent in our country and we are putting in concerted efforts to bring these down to 15 per cent” .

Stating that the government was according due importance to tapping solar energy, Shinde appreciated the developing of a smart mini-grid system on the TERI campus.

A smart mini-grid is an intelligent electricity distribution network, operating at or below 11KV, to provide electricity to a community. The smart mini-grids use advanced sensing, communication and control technologies to generate, manage, distribute and utilise electricity at the local distribution levels more intelligently and effectively. The system intelligently manages and balances multiple loads through inter-connected energy resources, providing rapid responses to network disturbances, minimising outages and preventing black-outs. The electricity is supplied by a diverse range of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) and typically include small conventional generators such as diesel gensets, and/or a range of renewable generators such as solar PV, micro-hydro power plants, wind turbines, biomass and so on.

The smart mini-grid at The Retreat, TERI, Gual Pahari, consists of various distributed energy resources such as a solar photovoltaic system, a wind electric generator, a biomass gasifier system, a battery storage system and a diesel generator (which is given the lowest priority).

The installation of a smart mini-grid through the application of digital technology at the electricity distribution level is one of the ideal solutions to problems of energy security, as it ensures reliable quality power.

These smart mini-grids can be wisely used to strengthen the country’s electricity sector and also enhance the performance of rural electricity supply systems.

Unlike the regular mini-grid system, the smart mini-grid system enhances system energy efficiency and offers maximum reliability, flexibility, safety etc in the overall electricity distribution network.

Panipat/Karnal, July 1
With the onset of the monsoon and the flood threat looming large in the low-lying areas along the Yamuna, the district administrations of Panipat and Karnal have swung into action and initiated measures to prevent flooding in the region.

JS Ahlawat, Deputy Commissioner, Panipat, issued strict directions to officials of irrigation and revenue to up the vigil in the villages along the Yamuna. The DC said officials of the public health and the local civic body had also been put on alert and asked to ensure that all drains in the city were kept free of any blockages. The DC also imposed a ban on any officer leaving the district without prior information to the administration.

Last year, the Yamuna had inundated agricultural land in a number of villages in the Sanuli segment of the district. A breach had occurred in one of the embankments of the Yamuna between Pathargarh and Tamashabad villages. Though, no loss of life or property was reported, but the waters had damaged the crops in Sanuli Khurd, Tamsahbad, Pathargarh, Rana Majra, Navada Aar, Navada Paar, Ramda Aar, Adhmi, Jalmana, Goyala and few others villages.

Sirsa: With floodwaters already flowing in the Ghaggar, the authorities in Sirsa and Fatehabad today reviewed their preparedness for meeting the challenges ahead.

Both these districts had witnessed devastating floods last year, when over 1.20 lakh acres of agriculture land from the two districts was inundated resulting in heavy financial loss besides rendering hundreds of people homeless for months.

Floods had hit Fatehabad in the second week of July and within the next some days; several areas of Sirsa were also flooded. The monsoon has arrived a few days in advance this year ringing alarming bells for the authorities.

Sirsa, July 1
The sarpanches of over 12 villages from Dabwali block of this district have levelled charges of corruption in the Development and Panchayat Department in the district.

The sarpanches, who were produced before mediapersons by INLD MLA from Ellenabad Abhey Singh Chautala at Fatehapuria village today, alleged that they were forced to pay commission to the Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO) for getting grants for their villages. Giving copies of their representations sent to the Haryana Chief Minister, the sarpanches of Rampura Bishnoia, Ramgarh, Diwan Khera, Jootawali, Masitan, Gidharkhera, Lambi, Chautala, Rampura and some other villages levelled a plethora of corruption charges against the authorities.

Shiv Raj Singh, sarpanch of Masitan village, alleged that the district authorities had failed to take any action against the BDPO despite his proven allegations of misappropriation of government funds against him.

A perusal of documents provided to Shiv Raj Singh under the RTI Act showed that the SDO(Panchayati Raj), who probed the allegation of wrongful withdrawal and expenditure of funds belonging to Masitan panchayat by BDPO Ram Singh, found that the officer had caused “wilful loss” of Rs 99703 to the exchequer. The sarpanch had alleged that the BDPO purchased gates and other items for a non-existing stadium in the village for Rs 374333, which the inquiry officer later found were worth Rs 274629 in his report dated April 1.

BDPO Ram Singh, however, denied the allegations.

Chandigarh, July 1
If new Power Minister Ajay Singh Yadav is able to get his instructions to the state power utilities implemented, honest consumers would be very happy.

At a review meeting with senior officers of the utilities and the Power Department here last evening, Capt Yadav instructed them that extra power for at least two hours should be ensured in those districts where consumers had been paying their electricity bills regularly.

It may be pointed out that Yadav came to Chandigarh yesterday for the first time after he was allocated the Power Department on June 14. He had been camping in Delhi and Rewari since then. He returned to the state capital only after meeting AICC President Sonia Gandhi.

If Yadav’s instructions are implemented in letter and in spirit, it would mean a sort of punishment to those areas from where the power utilities are able to make just token recovery of their dues. No sane person can disagree with Yadav if he wants to send a strong message that those who don’t want to pay for what they consume must be penalised.

Political representatives of all hues are unlikely to take Yadav’s instructions kindly. They may put pressure on the minister to go slow in implementing his instructions. Yadav also directed officers to ensure eight hours of power daily to tubewells during the ongoing paddy season. Damaged transformers should be replaced at the earliest.

Samalkha (Panipat), July 1
Yet another attempt made by the Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board (HSAMB) to get government land worth several crores vacated from the encroachers in the local grain market failed today as the district authorities did not provide them with any policemen for undertaking the demolition drive here.

HSAMB officials, including members of the encroachment committee, reached the grain market this morning along with 20 labourers and two JCB machines to pull down the illegal structures. As no police personnel were sent to the market by the authorities, the board officials
did not initiate the demolition drive, fearing that it might create a law and order situation.

On June 28, the board officials had written to district police chief Pankaj Nain for providing them with security. Besides, they had also written to Deputy Commissioner JS Ahlawat for appointing a duty magistrate for undertaking the demolition drive.

However, despite waiting till the afternoon, no security was provided. Later, they were handed over a letter by the Police Department, saying that no security could be provided to them today.

District police chief Pankaj Nain did not respond to the repeated calls made by this correspondent on his mobile. Deputy Commissioner JS Ahlawat said he had received a request from the HSAMB following which he had appointed the Samalkha tehsildar as duty magistrate. He stated the police was bound to provide security for the drive.

It is pertinent to mention that most encroachers were ‘politically well-connected’ and every time the board had planned to undertake a demolition drive here, no security was provided.

The board had served a three-day notice on 90 shopkeepers on June 28, asking them to pull down the illegal structures or face demolition. Chander Prakash, secretary of the Samalkha market committee, said that the encroachment committee would re-launch the demolition drive soon.

As per government records, 109 of the 151 shops in the market had encroached upon 6562.65 square yards of government land meant for roads and laying of sewage. The market value of this land was calculated at Rs 24.11 crore about two years back. However, 19 shopkeepers voluntarily brought down the illegal structures on government land.

The Haryana Lokayukta has already asked the government to file recovery suits against retired HSAMB officials who had failed to check these encroachments during their tenures, besides chargesheeting seven others for having failed to thwart the encroachments.

Meanwhile, PP Kapoor, who had launched a campaign to get the government land vacated using the RTI Act, stated he would soon file a PIL in the Punjab and Haryana High Court in this connection. 

Sonepat, July 1
Pawan, an 18-year-old milk vendor of Badwasni village, was shot dead near his village on the Sonepat-Gohana road when he was returning after supplying milk here late last night.

On the complaint of the victim’s father, Rajinder Singh, the police has registered a case of murder against Pradeep of the same village. Pradeep, recently released on parole, was an accused in the murder of Pawan’s elder aunt about a year back. 

Jind, July 1
Family members of a Dalit youth, who was allegedly murdered by some persons at Amrawali village in the district on June 25, have threatened to commit suicide in case the police fails to arrest the accused soon.

The victim’s family members and other residents of the village met the SDM and the DSP here today and submitted a memorandum listing the action they could resort if the authorities fail to act immediately According to the complainants, Pradip Kumar (23), was beaten to death by some persons belonging to a dominant community. It is claimed that the victim died due to beating and thrashing after he was caught peeping into a bathroom, where a woman was taking a bath.

The police had booked four persons responsible for the death of the youth. Though, panchayats were held to resolve the issue but it is stated that the victim’s family had been adamant over the demand to arrest the accused. The deceased used to work on the fields of the accused family. The family members, however, warned of a new action plan after July 4 if the police did not arrest the accused by then. The authorities claimed that a suitable action would be taken against the accused after the post-mortem report.