DA Surya Shakti Services Pvt. Ltd. Organized the Local stakeholder consultation meeting to discuss stakeholder concerns on proposed Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) for their project SURYAVATH, a 50Mw Solar Power Plant which will be built out of Pokhran, Rajasthan.

The meeting was held at the site at Pokhran on 22.08.2011 at 10.00 a.m. and was attended by the local dignitaries, local stakeholders and also the representatives of the project company DA Surya Shakti Services Pvt. Ltd, represented by Mr. Danish Lambe, Managing Director – DA Surya Shakti Services Private Limited and Mr. Athar Walile, Technical Director – DA Surya Shakti Services Private Limited. Other attendees to the meeting included Mr. Sahil Wali, Manager – EcoCapita Ltd.

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The meeting commenced with Mr. Abdul Karim, President, Didaniya Village Panchayat, presenting with a few words about the project and acting as Chairman for the meeting. The chairman also approved the agenda for the meeting. Further details and impact of the project was presented by Mr. Sahil Wali, of EcoCapita who provided a brief on the CDM project cycle and the role of local stakeholders. The participants were briefed about the Kyoto Protocol and mechanisms there-in. The presentation was based on CDM and need for the project under this mechanism to catalyze sustainable development. Mr. Athar Walile, Technical Director, DA Surya Shakti Services Pvt. Ltd. outlined that the local stakeholders concerns are to be internalized in any project under the Clean Development Mechanism of Kyoto Protocol.

Subsequently, Mr. Danish Lambe provided a brief on the project, elucidating the likely environmental and social impacts of the project. Mr. Athar Walile, Technical Director enumerated the salient technical and environmental features of the project and how this Solar Power project would reduce GHG emissions.

The Chairman encouraged the participants to seek clarifications on the project, its environmental and social impacts. Participants were also given further time to go through the project documents that are made available at the site of the meeting. The chairman invited the participants to voice their concerns regarding environmental, social, economic, institutional, cultural impacts of the project and seek any clarifications.

The prominent quotes that were delivered during the meeting in progress were as follows:

“Many Sarpanch and the Gram Sevak responded that: many companies have come to Pokhran, as their renewable projects are based here. We even don’t know what a solar street light is….. And none of the companies had shared this knowledge, the way DA Surya Shakti Services Private Limited has approached us with this information.”

“In Rajasthan it would be difficult to get skilled labor, but the abundance of unskilled labor will be available. But, the project company should guarantee the employment of these unskilled labors and should be hired only locally.” Said by Mr. S. D. Singh , official.

All members suggested that the job’s preference will be first given to Panchayat Level, Tehsil Level, and then finally Zilla Level. Mr. Athar Walile, Technical Director from DA Surya Shakti Services Private Limited, accepted the suggestion and agreed to give job preferences to locals first.”

There were lots of queries from locals which were satisfactory replied by Mr. Athar Walile and then suggestions and inputs from many experts and professionals surfaced, which are not covered in this brief. But all these have been covered and published by the local print media.