Goa had planned to generate 197 megawatt (MW) of renewable energy (RNE) through floating solar panels (FSP) in Selaulim, Amthane, Anjunem and Chapoli. The proposal was submitted in Jan 2024 by the Centre’s SJVN Green Energy Ltd. (SGEL) and it had asked the State to invest Rs.1,300 crore. Recently, the Water Resources Department (WRD) held back the funds citing “ecological risks” (TGE April 3). The GEDA had asked the WRD to carry out environmental studies through any national institute and check the impact, if any, but the WRD refused. On April 1, the Supreme Court admonished an NGO that objected to an FSP project at Jayakwadi Dam (Sambhaji Nagar district, Maharashtra), a bird sanctuary and an eco-sensitive zone, by the Tehri Hydro Development Corporation. The NGT rejected the petition as the NGO could not show any law that barred installing FSP in an eco-sensitive zone. The SC bench supported the NGT. Considering the above cases and because RNE is Centre’s mandate and crucial, Goa’s CM and the Minister for New and RNE should direct the WRD to soon release the funds for the prestigious project that would also create jobs.
