Hydel project on TBGRI campus soon

The campus of the Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (TBGRI) at Palode, near here, will soon have a mini hydroelectric project. The construction of the dam and power generation unit is expected to begin in a few months.A. Subramoniam, Director, TBGRI, said the project was conceived to address the twin problems of water shortage during the summer months and frequent interruption in power supply.The run-of-the-river project will come up on the Chittar stream, a tributary of the Karamana river, that flows through the garden on the 300-acre campus. The garden is home to 3,500 species of flora, including trees, shrubs and plants.

The Chittar dries up during the hot summer months, making the maintenance of the garden difficult. The construction of the dam is expected to ensure enough water supply.The frequent interruption in power supply to the campus is a major problem for critical units such as the Biotechnology department, forcing the institute to depend on diesel generators that pollute the atmosphere.The Energy Management Centre, which studied the feasibility of the project, reported that the rocky land on the proposed site would be a good foundation for the dam. The project is estimated to cost between Rs.2 crore and Rs.3 crore.“The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy Sources has agreed to part-fund the project. We expect the State government also to support the initiative. The 350-kW mini hydel project will not require submergence of land,” Mr. Subramoniam said.The proposed power generation unit includes two turbines of 175 kW each. The water after power generation will be diverted to the same stream for irrigating the garden.“Self-sufficiency in power and water has been a felt need for the institute. A green power unit without carbon dioxide emission is ideal for a botanic garden,” Mr. Subramoniam said.

The TBGRI has also submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Environment and Forests, seeking permission to set up a garden for evergreen species, the first of its kind in the country. The project is estimated to cost Rs.2.5 crore.“The garden will try to simulate the unique environment of a tropical evergreen forest. It will be equipped with specialised equipment such as humidity chambers and walkways to attract visitors. We have plans to tie up with the Royal Kew Garden in the U.K. for the project that will help preserve the dwindling plant biodiversity in forests,” Mr. Subramoniam said.
“Simultaneously, we have drawn up plans to create a new botanic garden utilising the vacant land within the premises of the institute. The garden will be named after famous botanists,” Mr. Subramoniam added.
The Hindu, November 3rd , 2009