MANGALURU: After installing solar panels on the rooftop of his Valencia house, Congress MLC Ivan D'Souza is using his local area development funds to harvest solar energy from the rooftops of government and aided schools in the district.His mission is to install 3kW solar panels on at least 50 schools in the district. His initiative has already had 10 schools getting Solar Power Plant Project commissioned and another 10 getting sanction for solar panel installation. The MLC plans to make the schools self-reliant to a certain extent by generating funds by selling excess power to Mescom. The cost of installing solar plant in each school is Rs 2.75 lakh."According to rough estimates, one school will be able to generate income of about Rs 19,000 a year by selling excess power units, and the money can be utilized for various school activities," said D'Souza, the government chief whip in the Legislative Council The schools which already have solar units include St Joseph's Higher Primary School, Kankanady (Mangaluru); zilla panchayat upgraded Model School, Kavu (Puttur); Government High School, Siddakatte (Bantwal); Government High School, Koyla (Bantwal); Government First Grade College, Mudipu; Government First Grade College, Belanduru (Puttur); Government First Grade College, Sullia; Government Higher Primary School, Balanja. (Belthangady); Kuvempu Centenary Model Higher Primary School, Shakthinagar; and Sri Ramashrama Aided High School, Konchady (Mangaluru).D'Souza, who installed a 10kW rooftop solar unit worth about Rs 7.5 lakh last October, said, "Mescom MoU with consumers on purchase of excess solar power is for 25 years. The panels have a warranty of 25 years and need zero maintenance. So it's a win-win situation for consumers, who will have to make a one-time investment.

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