Prepare plan to achieve solar energy targets, says Alemao

Margao: Reacting to chief minister Pramod Sawant’s statement that Goa will be transformed as a renewable energy hub by 2050, leader of opposition Yuri Alemao on Sunday sought to lay bare what he called “BJP government’s poor performance” on producing renewable and green energy.

He demanded that the government prepare an action plan to achieve the target of solar and renewable energy generation in the state.

“With a dismal record, it is better not to speak about achieving the 100% renewable energy target with 15,000 jobs by 2050. The failed BJP government is daydreaming when Goans are facing nightmaresof frequent power cuts and proposed hike in power tariffs,” said Alemao.

Pointing to the facts and figures from the replies to the Legislative Assembly Questions, Alemao said that Goa achieved only 33.344MW of solar power energy till November 30, 2022, to meet the 358MW target set to achieve the national cumulative target of 175GW. “Now the CM sets a new target of 150MW in the next two years with 500 jobs which is completely unrealistic,” he said.

Alemao further said that the tardy pace on the solar and renewable energy front makes him suspect that “the government has deliberately opted for go slow” approach “to facilitate the destructive Tamnar project.”

“If the government invests even half the money of the Tamnar project cost on renewable energy generation in Goa, it will cater to meet Goa’s power needs. There is no point in providing lip service by making big announcements at events. The government has also failed to create awareness about the same,” said Alemao.

Pointing to the discontinuation of the subsidy scheme for buying electric vehicles, he said, “This act shows that they are not serious about green energy. If the government has money to spend on events, why are they not giving subsidies on electric vehicles?”