Bengal launches first solar MDTW project at Sabang

Kolkata: The State Water Resources Investigation and Development (WRI&D) department has come up with the first solar Medium Deep Tube Well (MDTW) project at the Debhog area at Sabang in West Midnapore. The project will cater to agricultural land spread across 150 bigha benefitting 358 farmers in the tribal dominated area.

The success of the pilot project was displayed in the presence of state WRI&D minister Manas Ranjan Bhunia on Tuesday . The scheme is already irrigating 130 bigha land comprising paddy on 60 bigha, tuberose on 40 bigha and vegetables on 30 bigha.

Among the 358 farmers who will be reaping the benefits of the project, 300 belong to the ST community, 50 to the general caste, and 8 to the SC community . The 15 HP project is aimed at promoting green, emission-free, and cost-effective irrigation.

There are 6 mounting structures with 36 solar panels with a total capacity of 19800 watts peak (WP). The total cost of the project has been Ras 43.96 lakhs.

Bengal has deployed various solar-powered irrigation schemes, including solar pumps, sprinklers, and tube wells. Projects cover areas such as Khisma-VII in Nadia, where 6 Light Duty Tube Wells (LDTW) have been installed, solar-powered drip irrigation for saline-prone areas in Sunderbans, to name a few. “These systems reduce reliance on diesel pumps, providing a cleaner, more sustainable, and economically viable alternative for farmers,” said an official of the WRI&D department.