Mumbai, July 8 : Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said the government will set up an energy project at Parli in Beed district.

In his reply to a question raised by NCP member Dhananjay Munde in the state assembly, the Chief Minister said, 'When the matter of increasing the number of power generating units in the existing thermal power station at Parli in Beed district was examined, it was found that it was not feasible. Although it is not possible to build a new unit, a solar power project will be set up on the site of units one to five.'

He said that the power supply in the state should be cheap, adding that an automated system, the Merit Order Dispatch, has been implemented based on hourly rates.

According to this mechanism, cheap power has to be taken through an automated process through the 'Load Dispatch Centre' and PPP (Public Private Partnership). Accordingly, restrictions have been imposed, and since the cost of thermal power generation is high, it is not possible to set up a new thermal power unit.

'Since units No. 6, 7 and 8 are in operation, there has been no impact on the efficiency or employment of Parli Thermal Power Station. A meeting of the concerned officers will be held soon to resolve the technical problems related to the establishment of MOD (Merit Order Dispatch) in the context of the construction of the ninth unit in Parli Thermal Power Station,' said the Chief Minister.

Meanwhile, Forest Minister Ganesh Naik told the Legislative Council that the government is considering a plan to acquire the land adjacent to the forest by paying Rs 50,000 per acre annually to the farmers and installing solar fences.

He was replying to a question by Sadashiv Khot regarding the damage to agriculture due to wild animals in the Latur district.

Minister Naik said that the number of wildlife is increasing in the state. At the same time, farmers are indeed suffering from them. A provision of Rs 200 crore has been made in the budget for solar fences near the forest area. Agreements will be signed with solar manufacturing companies through the Maharashtra Forest Development Corporation.

He also said that there is a plan to develop a grass called Palm Rosa that will not only generate electricity through solar but will also prevent wild animals from eating it and will create a source of economic income.

Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule congratulated Forest Minister Ganesh Naik for coming up with a plan to install solar fencing for buffer zones and adjacent farmers. He also said that this would help save the lives of citizens from wild animal attacks.

/IANS