The Hindu : Kerala News : Surge in micro-hydel projects in Idukki

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Sep 28, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Surge in micro-hydel projects in Idukki

By George Jacob

IDUKKI, SEPT. 27. The remote Mankulam village in Idukki district holds a unique distinction. It boasts of 82 individual household-based micro-hydroelectric units — more than one-third of the total 212 such units spread over the 25 grama panchayats in the district. And maybe the largest number of such units in any single panchayat in the State.

Though often drummed up as the `power hub' of Kerala, the unique topography of Idukki district — while it ensures the presence of a large number of streams and mini/micro-waterfalls — has resulted in creating a paradoxical situation. Sometimes, even places lying as near as one kilometre from the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) power grid would have to go without electricity connection. The people's initiative in hydel power appears to be an effort to overcome the prevailing situation. These units provide power to a whopping 870 households in the district.

A study sponsored by the Science, Technology and Environment Department (STED) and conducted by the Centre for Rural Management (CRM) has found that a whopping 870 households in the district are served by micro-hydel projects. The study also brings out some interesting features of this unique initiative as also underscores the need to develop a support base to improve the efficiency and efficacy of these units.

Typical project

A typical micro-hydel project consists of a source of water, often a stream, or a storage tank or a check-dam made of either jungle stone or concrete, a plastic or PVC flexible hosepipe and a rewound bike or cycle dynamo which acts as the generating system. The average installed capacity of the large majority of them remains below 150 Watts an hour. This is enough to meet the lighting needs and also for operating a radio, tape recorder or television set.

Nearly half of these units provide power to the consumers for 12 hours a day and one-fourth of them ensure round-the-clock power supply. Moreover, 52 per cent of these units provide round-the-year power supply.

Expenditure

Interestingly, the average expenditure per unit for installation of nearly 20 of these projects is less than Rs.2,000, the study says. The number of projects which have spent less than Rs.10,000 comes to nearly 150. While more than 90 per cent of these units run without any additional operational cost, the annual repair cost is less than Rs.500 for majority of them. The large majority of them has been installed by individuals to cater to their own household needs, but there are instances of people coming together to install micro-hydel projects and also local bodies themselves installing such units.

According to Jos Chathukulam, director, CRM, the study has identified a number of problem areas. These include shortage of water, the problems connected with repair and maintenance activities and the lack of adequate safety precautions. ``In fact, three-fourths of the individual household-based units function without having any adequate safety measures. This matter is to be viewed in the context that some of these units have the capacity of 1 kwh or more,'' he said. The KSEB can think of providing necessary technical and logistical support to them, he said.

Necessary technical guidance and support should be provided to those operating these units so that maintenance cost could be reduced, output could be improved and downtime of the units owing to technical breakdowns reduced, he said. The study has found that in most cases, there is no scheme to make use of the water after it is used for generating power. Scope of reuse of water for better management of watershed systems should be looked into by governmental and non governmental agencies.

Most units after 1996

According to Dr. Chathukulam, more than 95 per cent of these units have been established after 1996, indicating a surge in the number of such units after the introduction of People's Plan Campaign. He believes that there is an urgent need for clarification from the authorities regarding Section 189 of the Kerala Panchayati Raj Act of 1994 since, during the survey it was noted that the people who run the micro-hydel projects are under fear regarding the possible interventions and penal actions by the KSEB authorities. The Acts, orders, rules and regulations of the KSEB regarding production and distribution of power need to be addressed in favour of the individual initiatives and in cases of any future amendments, the interests and initiatives of such units should be protected, he said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Kerala

News Update

Stories in this Section