ANANTAPUR: The administration of Anantapur district has hastened the process of acquiring land for the world’s largest mega ultra solar power park to generate 2,500 MW at a single location on the borders of Anantapur and Kadapa districts.
The proposed solar power project would be set up in an extent of 10,000 acres in NP Kunta of Anantapur and Galiveedu mandal in Kadapa districts.
The New and Renewable Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh (NEDCAP) and revenue authorities have been coordinating on the prestigious first of its kind project after state division.
Nearly 3,554 acres of land has been acquired so far in NP Kunta mandal, the NEDCAP sources said and added most of them were government lands.
It was also proposed to acquire 5,546 acres of lands in survey No. 539, which also has patta lands, in NP Kunta of Anantapur district.
Additionally, the officials are also planning to acquire nearly 3,000 more acres from the farmers in Galiveedu mandal in Kadapa district.
Revenue sources said that file related to the project was being processed on a war footing basis.
Meanwhile, NEDCAP sources said farmers were interested in selling their lands to the government rather than leasing out.
With the revised compensation system announced in 2012, farmers would get attractive compensation for their lands which would be more than two and a half times higher than the market value.
“The farmers had also expressed their ability to cooperate for the world's largest mega ultra solar park,” said S. Satyanarayana, the joint collector of Anantapur district.
Similarly, another solar park which is likely to be set up in Panyam mandal in Kurnool district and the land acquisition process is under progress.
At least 5,000 acres are needed to establish solar park in Panyam and the park would produce 500 MW of power, while NP Kunta-Galiveedu Park would be largest park to produce 2,500 MW of power.
