Carbon neutral panchayat

Background The Kerala State Action Plan on Climate Change identifies the Wayanad district of Kerala as one of the ‘climate change hotspots’ in the state. Wayanad is nestled in the Western Ghats, an extension of Deccan Plateau. It is home to crops that are thermo-sensitive and vulnerable to climate change such as coffee, paddy and pepper. It is also one of the eight ‘hottest hot-spots’ of biological diversity in the world, home to nearly 5000 species of flora and fauna. The Wayanad district is primarily agrarian with 50% of its geographical area falling under plantation and other agricultural land use. 97% of the district’s population are rural, therefore mostly directly dependent on agriculture for their livelihood. Due to this, the district was selected for a community-based climate change adaptation and development initiative named “Carbon Neutral Wayanad”. As the district is highly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change, carbon-neutral development became essential for its people and the environment. Therefore, Meenangadi Panchayat in Wayanad was selected as a model carbon-neutral panchayat for Wayanad district and the rest of the country to follow. The purpose of this project is to propose sector-wise adaptation and mitigation strategies in Meenangadi by estimating its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and carbon sequestration for the baseline year 2017 (based on 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories). Results The project produced a deta...

The residents of Palli in Jammu and Kashmir's Samba border district are upbeat over the Prime Minister's vist to their village. They term this day as the "red letter day" in the India's modern history of development and transformation. "It is red letter day for us. With the blessing of Modi ji, the village has entered into history of India as first carbon neutral solar village. We thank Prime Minister for choosing this hamlet across country," Palli villager Gurdeep Singh said. From the macadamised roads to the recently launched electric bus service, the village located just 17 kms from the winter capital Jammu is witnessing a major transformation with an upgraded Panchayat Ghar, renovated government high school building, a new pond and improved playfields. The project was completed at a cost of Rs 2.75 crore in a record time, officials said. The electricity generated will be distributed to the village, having a daily requirement of 2,000 units, through the local power grid station. The village, which has 450 houses, have been given solar Chulhas' (stoves) and all the houses will be covered by the next phase after the prime minister's visit, the officials said. Also read:

Palli: The nondescript hamlet of Palli in Jammu and Kashmir's border district of Samba on Sunday became the country's first 'carbon neutral panchayat' with Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicating to the nation a 500 KV solar plant, installed in a record time of nearly three weeks. The Prime Minister said that Palli has shown the way to the country by becoming carbon neutral. "People of Palli have helped in the project. They have also provided food to people engaged in the project," he said. "It is a red letter day for us. With the blessing of Modi ji, the village has entered into history of India as first carbon neutral solar village. We thank the prime minister for choosing this hamlet across the country," Palli villager Gurdeep Singh said. The project was completed at a cost of Rs 2.75 crore in a record time, officials said. The electricity generated will be distributed to the village, having a daily requirement of 2,000 units, through the local power grid station.

A Kerala panchayat's initiative to turn carbon neutral is proving to show the way as Jammu and Kashmir recently launched an initiative to make a panchayat carbon neutral as well. The Palli panchayat in Samba district in Jammu made the carbon neutral initiative with the Prime Minister launching a 500 KV solar plant in April. Now, a delegation from Palli is planning to visit Kerala to look into Meenangadi panchayat's 'Carbon neutral Meenangadi' project, which was launched in 2016. After Prime Minister Narendra Modi's declarations at the Glasgow summit last year that India aims at achieving net zero by 2070, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj suggested that all states may initiate projects for becoming carbon neutral. The 'Carbon neutral Meenangadi' project was highlighted as a model by the ministry. A senior consultant with the Ministry of Panchayati Raj P P Balan told DH that the ministry was impressed by the 'Carbon neutral Meenangadi' project, and hence, it was mooted as a model. Each panchayat can initiate projects that suit the local situations. The project was initiated as a pilot project of making the entire high-range district of Wayanad carbon neutral. Over two lakh trees have been planted as part of the tree banking scheme that offers incentive of Rs 50 per tree per year to landowners, with a target to plant 5.5 lakh trees. A climate literacy campaign is also progressing with the aim of making the people aware of the impacts of climate change and thereby prompting the ...