Maoists do their bit to prevent global warming - Use solar energy

Solar panels found in Maoist dumps
Thursday August 2 2007 13:06 IST

RAJAHMUNDRY: For the first time in the district, the police recovered ‘solar photo voltaic plates’, being used by CPI (Maoists) to trigger landmines.

The solar panels were found in two dumps unearthed by the Anti- Naxal Squad (ANS) police in the forests under Donkarayi police station limits.

Besides solar panels, the police also recovered gelatin sticks, weighing about 150 kg, 25 electrical detonators, one 0.5 HP generator, three wire bundles used for connecting the explosives and some literature.

Hitherto, the extremists used to use primary cells, used in radios and torch lights and the secondary cells like — lead acid and alkaline batteries — to trigger landmines in forests. They also used camera flashes in some incidents for triggering the explosives.

As the batteries are getting discharged and some cells need electric power to recharge them, the extremists are using solar panels.

The Naxalites will arrange solar panels in sunlight and connect them to the rechargeable batteries to charge them. They are also using the solar panels for lights for moving in forests in the night.

The police confirmed that the extremists have used solar power system in Singanakota and Tanganakota blasting a few months ago in the district.

‘‘We don’t know whether the police recovered solar panels in any place earlier. But, for the first time in East Godavari district we noticed that Maoists are using solar photo voltaic plates for killing the targets and damaging the government properties.

The dumps were hidden some two years ago near Buradakota and Tarniwada hamlets,’’ said SP B Srinivasulu in a press conference organised here today. ‘‘With the use of solar energy, there is no need for power supply to charge the batteries and the cells can be charged with solar panels.

Newindpress