Luxettipet sub jail becomes first prison to use solar power in Telangana

Luxettipet sub jail is now equipped with solar rooftop plants and has achieved self-reliance in production of electricity

Mancherial: As part of a pilot project by the Telangana Prison department, Luxettipet sub jail is now equipped with solar rooftop plants and has achieved self-reliance in production of electricity. And, It will soon be able to earn profits by selling power to the government.

“Luxettipet sub jail now has a 4 kilowatts rooftop solar power plant installed in the first week of February. It used to pay somewhere between Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000 per month towards the power bill. A sum of Rs 3.70 lakh was spent for setting up the plant atop of the buildings,” Tejavath Swamy, superintendent of the jail told ‘Telangana Today.’

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According to prison authorities, Luxettipet sub jail is the first prison in Telangana to shift to renewable energy and to have the solar power plant. “The prison can register some income by way of selling excess power to the government. The plant can generate more power than required in the near future,” Swamy opined.

Maiden prison to adopt solar power

The jail is an oldest prison in the erstwhile Adilabad district. A court of the then Nizam rulers was converted into a prison. It is currently housing 25 inmates.

A slew of measures are being taken for the well-being of prisoners. For instance, inmates practice yoga asanas, meditation and pranayama twice in the day.

Meanwhile, an 8 kilo watts rooftop solar power plant was also installed atop of two buildings belonging to a jail meant for women prisoners in Chanchalguda in Hyderabad.

The plant is going to be inaugurated shortly. Works of the plant were complete. A total of about Rs 8 lakh was invested to create the facility helping the prison to overcome financial implications caused by power bills.

The authorities of Telangana prisons department said that similar rooftop solar power plants would be installed in jails across the State soon. Efforts are being made to commission the plants at the earliest.

The department, known for introducing reforms, achieved the unique distinction of introducing the video linkage system between prisons and courts for the first time in the country resulting in speedy justice to the under-trial prisoners.