New Delhi, June 17 -- The Najafgarh drain canal-top solar power project, recommended by lieutenant governor VK Saxena in April 2023, is set to take off, with power minister Ashish Sood confirming that the plan is currently on the drawing board and is likely to be rolled out soon. Under the project, aimed at setting up solar panels above the Yamuna along its route, the government aims to generate 30 mega Watts (MW) of power. "Solar panels will be mounted on top of the canal route, which will allow cleaning of the drain while checking the evaporation of the water from the drain. The panels on one side will be bigger than the other side according to the plans that have been discussed," minister Sood said. An official in the know-how of the project said solar panels mounted above canals block sunlight from directly hitting the water and, in turn, reduce the surface heat and water evaporation. The panels will also act as a wind barrier, which will help slow down water evaporation. Reduction of evaporation from the drain can offer environmental benefits, the official said. "The canal-top modality will allow for added water savings of 270 million litres per annum which would directly be injected as freshwater into the Yamuna further aiding rejuvenation efforts. The project will boost national solar mission. It will lead to productive use of existing canal infrastructure without disrupting land use patterns," the official said. The Najafgarh solar power project is likely to be modelled on Gujarat's canal solar power project, wherein solar panels along the network of Narmada canals generates electricity. The first phase will have installation of solar plants at 6 pockets on a 6-km stretch between Dhansa border and Ghummanhera, to generate 5MW power. Similar plants will be set up along other stretches to generate 30MW power, officials said....