The Puducherry landscape might soon be dotted with solar-powered households, government buildings and public lighting under a plan to make this grid-lined former French enclave a ‘solar city.’ The ‘solar city’ initiative, spearheaded by the Renewable Energy Agency of Puducherry (REAP) and provided in-principle approval by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, is at present being given shape brick-by-brick, or rather panel-by-solar panel, by three high-level committees in the government. “We expect a comprehensive master plan to be ready in about three months,” said K.V. Augustine, Planning Officer at REAP. The Union Territory has also commissioned a private consultancy to submit a draft master plan. Already, the city has been inching towards energy-efficient power more in a bits-and-pieces fashion than in holistic mission mode. For instance, the Chief Secretariat is now getting another 25 KW solar plant after the existing plant was completely damaged in the Cyclone Thane in December, 2011. The project is halfway through, according to REAP officials. Three public offices in Puducherry, including the Forest Department and the Government Press, are now solar-powered and the Transport Department and the government-run Mahatma Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Dental Sciences are expected to follow suit soon.

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