Solar panel installation: Won’t effect resumption of properties: Chandigarh to HC
The undertaking was given by a UT counsel before the bench of justice Sureshwar Thakur and justice Sudeepti Sharma during resumed hearing of the plea filed by one Kulvir Narwal on September 30.
The Chandigarh administration on Tuesday gave an undertaking before the Punjab and Haryana high court that it would not press for resumption proceedings till the next date of hearing on the pleas filed regarding resumption notices being issued to city residents for not installing rooftop solar power plants.
The undertaking was given by a UT counsel before the bench of justice Sureshwar Thakur and justice Sudeepti Sharma during resumed hearing of the plea filed by one Kulvir Narwal on September 30. Detailed order of the proceedings is awaited.
Prior to this, the matter has been listed for hearing on four occasions. On two occasions, judges recused from hearing the matter and on the remaining ones it got adjourned.
The plea is from Kulvir Narwal, a lawyer, who has challenged the May 2016 order of the Chandigarh administration making the installation of solar photo voltaic power plant mandatory for residential and non-residential buildings, especially in northern sectors. The plea had also sought to stay notice by assistant estate officer, UT, issued in August in which the residents were given two- month time to install the panels or face resumption of site allotted to them. The plea says the entire scheme as well as the notices are illegal and without any legal sanction and authority.
The scheme was introduced in 2016 but has received a lukewarm response due to a host of reasons, including delay in release of subsidy. As per the scheme, it is mandatory for houses measuring 500 square yards or more to install rooftop solar plants. The scheme offers a subsidy covering 60% of the cost for systems up to 2 kW and 40% for systems between 2 and 3 kW, with a cap at 3 kW.
A total of 7,200 one-kanal houses are registered for the solar power scheme, but only 4,000 residents have installed so far. Last month UT had issued resumption notices to the remaining approximately 4,000 homeowners. It is learnt that the UT is also in the process to make installation of these solar panels mandatory for residential houses measuring 250 square yards and above. There are a total of 7,414 houses of this category. Residents say they are not against renewables, but they are against “coercion”.