The Indian Institute of Management-Tiruchi plans to set up a 2 MW solar power plant on its new campus at Chinna Suriyur on Tiruchi-Pudukottai road.
The Rural Electrification Corporation Limited (REC), one of the navatrna enterprises of the Government of India, has agreed to fund the project as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative. A Memorandum of Understanding to that effect was signed between Prafulla Agnihotri, Director, IIM-Tiruchi and P. V. Ramesh, Chairman and Managing Director of REC in New Delhi on Monday.
After signing the MoU, Mr. Agnihotri said that IIM-Tiruchi would attain the status of first IIM among all IIM’s in the country to have a 2 MW solar power plant on campus. It would enable the institute to meet its entire electricity through natural energy sources. There would be no need for the institute to get electricity from other agencies.
He said steps would be immediately initiated to call for a tender. Steps would be taken to start the installation of solar power panels as soon as possible.
Mr. Agnihotri said that the primary objective of the project was to reduce energy consumption from the grid, resulting in a clean campus, devoid of pollution by reducing carbon dioxide emissions. It would enable the institute to produce and train responsible managers in an environment, where renewable energy was fully used. It would make the campus, a 100 percent zero emission and self sustained green campus.
He added that the permanent campus had been strategically designed to focus on efficient usage of water, energy, air and other resources, to reduce any negative impact on the environment during the phase of development and create a highly sustainable living community space.
While thanking the Rural Electrification Corporation Limited for the financial assistance, Mr. Agnihotri said the initiative would motivate other educational institutes in the country to switch over to natural energy to meet their energy requirement.
By Baishakhi Dutta
