At 1200 meters above mean sea level, there are six wind turbines of RRB Energy Limited installed on a mountain ridge of Western ghats, Shaturanga Parai. The lure of Shaturanga Parai is irresistible. I have been visiting this place frequently for the construction of a wind farm project for M/s. Wizemann Financial Resources. During every visit I feel relaxed and recharged and I want to visit again!
A non-descript village in Theni hills, Shaturanga Parai is now easy to spot thanks to the wind turbines that dot the skyline. Visible miles away in the Theni plains as one drives towards the ghats in the west, these turbines appear as small dots. But when you reach the site it turns out to be an awesome spectacle – massive structures standing tall with their blades in motion, six of them in a row on a ridge. Each a power source, these machines produce green energy and empower the Tamil Nadu electricity grid.
Shaturanga Parai has a meaning and a story behind the name. ‘Shaturanga’ means chess and ‘Parai’ means rock. The locals have a story to tell. It is about the Pandavas staying at this place during their ‘Vanavas’ and enjoying a game of chess. The place is beautiful, a nature’s gift indeed. It attracts visitors who love nature, the panoramic view and wild life. The mild cold weather is pleasant but it can turn horrible due to heavy winds and unpredictable bursts of rain anytime.
Let me tell you more about the wind mills at Shaturanga Parai. At 1200 meters above mean sea level, this is the highest wind farm in Tamil Nadu and perhaps one of the highest in the Country. The wind speed goes above 30 meter per second quite often. At such speeds it is frightening to be at the site as one can be swept away. It was a logistics night-mare to get the turbines to the site. Massive cranes and trailors loaded with 23 meter blades could not negotiate the direct road from Theni to Shaturanga Parai. It involved several reconnaissance trips and detailed preparation and above all, skills of personnel and willingness to take risks that enabled the successful execution of the project. Hats off to the guys who achieved this amazing and spectacular feat!
A little more about my involvement in this Project. Way back in 2004, I had a chance meeting with a navy veteran, Commadore, Swaminathan at Theni International, a hotel at Theni. His passion for wind energy and invitation to visit a site near ‘Ramakkalmedu’, the area with highest wind power density recorded in the Country excited me. A two hour back breaking jeep ride with the Commadore was an unforgettable experience. He took me to Shaturanga Parai and waxed eloquent about a wind farm project, on a mountain ridge. I was impressed by his idea and the preliminary work done by him in getting various approvals from Government. But I could not recommend to our management the proposal to build a wind farm in view of the challenges in infrastructure development and logistics. I remember how the Commadore wanted to move the turbine by helicopter to the site as an under slung load!
Well, we did not take up this project in 2004 but it remained on the back burner to come alive five years later. In the meantime,M/s. Wizemann Financial Resources became the owner of the property, and RRB Energy Limited agreed upon doing the project in 2009. It took us almost one year to commission this project. Our project managers and engineers braved the hostile climate, danger posed by the environment including wild animals and innumerable logistics night mares to execute this project. The project incharge, Sundaresan and Supervisors Bhagawathi Perumal and Rajkumar deserve special mention for their commendable efforts.
Parai Project is a great achievement not only for RRB Energy Limited, the turbine manufacturer and project developer and M/s. Wizemann Financial Resources, the wind farm owner but other stake holders as well. For Tamil Nadu State Electricity Board, it is another feather in the cap to have a green power source at 1200 meters feeding their grid. The project received a lot of media and government attention in Kerala too, due to its proximity to the border.
The people of the area, a mixed population of Tamils and Malayalees have welcomed the project.
With this project, RRB Energy Limited once again demonstrated its pioneering zeal and spirit of adventure. It is a land mark achievement, which make all of us feel proud.
*The Author was Head Projects, RRB Energy Limited
Friday, September 16, 2011
Monday, September 12, 2011
Corruption, blackmail and bribery!
IPKF inducted an electronic warfare(EW) unit into Jaffna when serious action against the LTTE was considered. I was the Commanding Officer(CO) of this EW field unit which I deployed in and around the Jaffna Fort. This general area was already occupied by a Maratha Light Infantry (MLI ) battalion and it's CO was staying at a cozy corner inside the Fort. I had selected a location for an EW detachment on a vantage point on the rampart which incidentally was next to the tiger's den (CO's residence). Adjutant MLI informed us about his CO's discomfort and their concern about his security since EW antennae were visible from the LTTE localities and therefore presented lucrative targets. I did not yield and went ahead to deploy the EW detachment at the selected location albeit our relations with MLI got strained.
At this time, my EW unit was dependent on the bigger MLI unit for certain administrative support and we were subject to some harsh treatment. The issue that affected us most was the supply of diesel essential to run our generators.
While a chill in our relations prevailed for a few days, the MLI unit got an operational task to flush out the LTTE militants from a prominent building , Veerasingha Hall, near the Fort and we were tasked to support the operation. Both units joined hands to coordinate the effort and the operation turned out to be a success. Our intercepts proved very useful for the entire operation and this was appreciated by CO, MLI and higher commanders. While basking in the glory, my 2IC came to me with an interesting intercept. We had monitored the battalion radio net, as well. A senior officer of MLI had asked a junior officer to delete a few items from the list of "captured items" to be reported formally to the higher HQ. And the most attractive item was a TV! My 2IC wanted to use this recorded conversation ( intercept) effectively for arm twisting . Having found some merit in his view I agreed with a caveat; there should not be any alteration to the list of captured items and the correct list must be reported. He contacted the Adjutant, MLI and informed him about the explosive material with the EW unit. This caused a flurry of activities in the MLI Operations Room. Their CO wanted to meet but I was too busy preparing my report to the Divisional HQ! Soon came a delegation from the MLI unit comprising their 2IC, Adjutant and Subedar Major with a packet of chocolates and an invitation to dinner to me and an invitation to a "Bara khana" to all ranks of the EW unit!
I accepted the chocolates and the invitation to barakhana. Needless to say, the units ironed out their differences and remained in harmony since then, taking part in several operations in Srilanka during Op Pawan!
How would Anna Hazare view this?
Sent from my iPad
At this time, my EW unit was dependent on the bigger MLI unit for certain administrative support and we were subject to some harsh treatment. The issue that affected us most was the supply of diesel essential to run our generators.
While a chill in our relations prevailed for a few days, the MLI unit got an operational task to flush out the LTTE militants from a prominent building , Veerasingha Hall, near the Fort and we were tasked to support the operation. Both units joined hands to coordinate the effort and the operation turned out to be a success. Our intercepts proved very useful for the entire operation and this was appreciated by CO, MLI and higher commanders. While basking in the glory, my 2IC came to me with an interesting intercept. We had monitored the battalion radio net, as well. A senior officer of MLI had asked a junior officer to delete a few items from the list of "captured items" to be reported formally to the higher HQ. And the most attractive item was a TV! My 2IC wanted to use this recorded conversation ( intercept) effectively for arm twisting . Having found some merit in his view I agreed with a caveat; there should not be any alteration to the list of captured items and the correct list must be reported. He contacted the Adjutant, MLI and informed him about the explosive material with the EW unit. This caused a flurry of activities in the MLI Operations Room. Their CO wanted to meet but I was too busy preparing my report to the Divisional HQ! Soon came a delegation from the MLI unit comprising their 2IC, Adjutant and Subedar Major with a packet of chocolates and an invitation to dinner to me and an invitation to a "Bara khana" to all ranks of the EW unit!
I accepted the chocolates and the invitation to barakhana. Needless to say, the units ironed out their differences and remained in harmony since then, taking part in several operations in Srilanka during Op Pawan!
How would Anna Hazare view this?
Sent from my iPad
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Vani in War!
Vani, a 7 year old, caused a temporary halt to the fire from Jaffna Fort.
The Marathas had been guarding the Fort since the Indian Peace Keeping Force
moved into Srilanka to put an end to the war between the Srilankan Military
and the LTTE. It was indeed a shock to the unsuspecting MLI ( Maratha Light
Infantry) to face live bullets from the Tamil Militants who launched a
surprise attack on Jaffna Fort. And the Marathas responded in a reckless
manner opening fire indiscriminately. In the exchange of fire the Indian
soldiers suffered a few casualties. Suddenly Vani appeared in front of the
troops with her goat at her usual place as if she was oblivious of what had
been going on.
Vani's presence in the no man's land was somethig the men in uniform found
most difficult to handle! They stopped the retaliation and asked their NCO
what to do who in turn asked his boss, the JCO who in turn referred the
matter to his Company Commander. The Company Commander, a junior major fresh
from the Junior Commanders(JC) course at the College of Combat, was not
comfortable to give a solution. He rushed to where I was standing along with
another Company Commander. This commander was a senior major already
superseded for promotion but liked by the men. Clear in mind and confident
by nature, this guy gave his advice to carry on with the retaliation; there
was no sense in trying to save the girl. Turning to me he said, in war there
was no time for any such sentiment.
As the Commanding Officer of an Electronic Warfare unit I was busy with
other things but I couldn't miss the significance of the senior major's
advice in the crucial battle that set the the beginning of IPKF operations
in Srilanka called" Op Pawan"!
The Marathas had been guarding the Fort since the Indian Peace Keeping Force
moved into Srilanka to put an end to the war between the Srilankan Military
and the LTTE. It was indeed a shock to the unsuspecting MLI ( Maratha Light
Infantry) to face live bullets from the Tamil Militants who launched a
surprise attack on Jaffna Fort. And the Marathas responded in a reckless
manner opening fire indiscriminately. In the exchange of fire the Indian
soldiers suffered a few casualties. Suddenly Vani appeared in front of the
troops with her goat at her usual place as if she was oblivious of what had
been going on.
Vani's presence in the no man's land was somethig the men in uniform found
most difficult to handle! They stopped the retaliation and asked their NCO
what to do who in turn asked his boss, the JCO who in turn referred the
matter to his Company Commander. The Company Commander, a junior major fresh
from the Junior Commanders(JC) course at the College of Combat, was not
comfortable to give a solution. He rushed to where I was standing along with
another Company Commander. This commander was a senior major already
superseded for promotion but liked by the men. Clear in mind and confident
by nature, this guy gave his advice to carry on with the retaliation; there
was no sense in trying to save the girl. Turning to me he said, in war there
was no time for any such sentiment.
As the Commanding Officer of an Electronic Warfare unit I was busy with
other things but I couldn't miss the significance of the senior major's
advice in the crucial battle that set the the beginning of IPKF operations
in Srilanka called" Op Pawan"!
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