Pawan Kalyan impressed with Greenko renewable project

Kurnool: Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan inspected the world's largest integrated renewable energy project, the Pinnapuram Greenko Solar Power Project, in Kurnool district on Saturday. He conducted an aerial survey of the project, observing its wind, solar, and hydel power units, all co-located on a single site.

After visit the site, Pawan Kalyan emphasised that the integrated renewable project stands as a symbol of clean energy production by harnessing solar, hydel, and wind power without causing pollution. He praised Anil Chalamsetti and Mahesh for their instrumental roles in initiating the Greenko project.

During a media conference, the Deputy CM highlighted that investments worth ₹1.5 lakh crore have been made across India in renewable energy, with ₹30,000 crore invested in Andhra Pradesh and an additional ₹20,000 crore planned. Specifically, ₹10,000 crore has been invested in the Pinnapuram project, with further plans to invest ₹14,000 crore.

Pawan Kalyan explained that his visit was aimed to investigate allegations of the forest regulation violations. He clarified that the project spans 2,800 acres, of which 1,700 acres are barren land unsuitable for agriculture. He acknowledged Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's focus on green energy initiatives following his success in developing the IT sector, which has attracted substantial investments. He revealed that 365 acres of forest land were lawfully purchased, with the government approving equivalent compensatory land in Nellore district.

However, a dispute persists over 40 acres between the forest and revenue departments. Pawan Kalyan assured that he would address such disputes and emphasised the importance of field visits over office-based reviews for a clearer understanding of ground realities.

Describing the project as a significant initiative, he directed officials to rectify minor violations and stated that smaller concerns could be escalated to the Cabinet if necessary. He also proposed developing the site into a tourist and educational destination. The Deputy CM urged the Greenko management to prioritise corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, including generating employment for local youth and supporting farmers. He highlighted that the project's power generation capacity could supply 200 units of electricity per month to 43 lakh households.

He promised to review the revenue and forest land disputes. He also expressed his vision of transforming Kurnool into a model city and announced plans for further visits to Kurnool and Nandyal districts.

Minister for Roads and Buildings BC Janardhan Reddy, District Collectors of Kurnool and Nandyal, P Ranjith Basha, G Raja Kumari, Superintendent of Police of the undivided Kurnool district, along with MPs, MLAs, and other officials, were present during the visit.