Union Minister Dedicates Milma’s 2-MW Solar Power Plant

KOCHI:
Kerala marked a major stride in the country’s green energy initiative, as Union Minister George Kurian inaugurated today a 2-mw project of Milma, crediting the cooperative’s Ernakulam regional society with running the country’s first fully solar-powered dairy.

Kurian declared open the plant by Ernakulam Regional Cooperative Milk Producers Union (ERCMPU) in suburban Tripunithura, where State Minister J Chinchurani came online and laid the foundation of a project on Milma’s Products Dairy Upgradation. Milma Federation Chairman K.S. Mani handed over the keys of the Central Quality Control Lab to National Dairy Development Board Chairman Dr Meenesh Shah.

Kurian, who is in charge of the Animal Husbandry and Dairy portfolios at the Centre, described the solar power plant at Tripunithura as a shining example of prudent conversion of crisis into opportunity. “What existed here were marshes and ponds. Installing a solar plant in the region shows how we can bring in development without disturbing the ecology,” he pointed out.

Recalling the contributions rendered by iconic social entrepreneur Verghese Kurien (1921-2012) in carrying out the White Revolution half a century ago, the Minister lauded the improved practices in cow-rearing that has particularly rewarded the women.

Chinchurani, who is in charge of the state’s Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development, referred to the Central Quality Control Lab as a mechanism that ensured high-quality milk products and aided the renovation of the Milma’s plant in Edappally. The minister, who was on a foreign tour, addressed the function virtually.

Shah said the dairy cooperative societies in Kerala were doing “commendable work”. The Promising Milk Union scheme had earmarked Rs 8 crore to the Ernakulam Union, he pointed out, expressing satisfaction with its progress.

Earlier, welcoming the gathering Milma Ernakulam union President M.T. Jayan requested the Union Minister to involve livestock farmers too under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. “The ERCMPU created history by establishing a fully-solar powered plant with an investment of Rs 16 crore,” he said, adding that the cooperative’s initiatives such as Milma Fresh and Milma at School found replications by the livestock cooperatives across the country.

Milma Chairman Mani said Milma was “way ahead” in carrying out model developmental initiatives. “We are focusing on value-added products,” he added.

Other speakers included K Babu MLA, Milma MD Asif K Yousuf, ERCMPU Managing Director Wilson J Poovakattu and Tripunithura Municipal Chairperson Rema Santhosh, besides delegates from livestock cooperative institutions, NDDB, NABARD and local self-government institutions.

The solar plant project includes the 8KW floating solar panels installed in the pond of the Diary compound, and 102 KE solar panel installed in car porch model, and the 1890 KW solar panel installed in the ground.

The solar panel plant of the Milma will produce 2.90 lakhs units of solar energy per year, and is expected to save 1.94 crore rupees of energy expenses annually. ANERT did the technical supervision of the project, while KC Copper Energy Solutions installed the solar panels.

The solar-powered dairy project’s Rs 16-crore outlay includes a loan of Rs 9.2 crore from the Dairy Processing and Infrastructure Development Scheme and Rs 6.8 crore from the regional union’s funds. The project consists of 8-KV floating solar panels on the dairy compound’s lake, and 1890-KW on-ground panels spread over 4.7 acres.