Solar push in Greater Noida: Gaps in representation, policy implementation flagged at UPNEDA review meet

if societies collectively adopt solar and wind energy, it would significantly reduce electricity consumption, lower bills and contribute positively to environmental sustainability.

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Ankita Sharma
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Residents of several Noida high-rise societies are opposing steep maintenance charge hikes, alleging poor services despite increased fees.
Residents of several Noida high-rise societies are opposing steep maintenance charge hikes, alleging poor services despite increased fees.

Noida : A review meeting on the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana was held in Greater Noida by the Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency, bringing focus to the implementation of solar energy in group housing societies. The meeting surfaced multiple operational and policy-level concerns tied to adoption at the society level.

Representation concerns raised by Naresh Nautiyal

Former MP candidate Naresh Nautiyal attended the meeting, stating he was representing residents across group housing societies in Gautam Buddh Nagar. He emphasized that despite thousands of such societies in the district, most AOA and RWA representatives were not adequately included.

Nautiyal questioned officials, including the deputy registrar, on the limited participation. He pointed out that only the AOA of Supertech Captain Society was formally present, while a majority of attendees were solar vendors, with minimal representation from RWAs.

He argued that for schemes like rooftop solar, which directly impact residential societies, it is essential to include AOA and RWA stakeholders so that ground-level challenges are accurately communicated to authorities.

Practical hurdles in solar adoption

Vendors present in the meeting highlighted multiple bottlenecks in implementing solar systems in societies. These included procedural issues with the electricity department, delays in technical approvals and complications related to property ownership.

A key concern raised was that in many societies, electricity meters are registered in the name of individual residents or builder entities. This creates complications in deploying a centralized solar system for the entire society. Additionally, access to bank loans for such installations remains limited.

Policy continuity but weak execution

Nautiyal noted that the push for solar energy is not new. He referenced the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission launched under the leadership of Manmohan Singh in 2010. He said successive governments have continued similar policies under different scheme names.

However, he stressed that effective implementation remains a concern. According to him, the government must first ensure mandatory solar installations across its own infrastructure, including offices, hospitals, banks, parks, stadiums and official residences of MPs and MLAs.

He further suggested that authorities should publicly disclose comparative data on electricity bills before and after solar installation to build trust and encourage adoption among residents.

Compliance gaps in group housing societies

Nautiyal also highlighted that most group housing societies built after 2010 were mandated to install solar panels, with builders submitting affidavits to that effect. He called for strict enforcement to ensure compliance, either by builders or AOAs.

Way forward

The meeting concluded with a consensus that a formal communication will be sent to the concerned authority, outlining the issues and proposing actionable steps to streamline solar implementation in group housing societies.

Nautiyal stated that if societies collectively adopt solar and wind energy, it would significantly reduce electricity consumption, lower bills and contribute positively to environmental sustainability.

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