Rs 60 lakh worth of batteries stolen from Anantnag schools

Anantnag, Sep 26: The solar panel batteries costing over Rs 60 lakh have gone missing from various government-run schools in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district during the past two years.

An official said that 310 solar panel batteries had been stolen from different government schools in Anantnag since 2022.

The cost of a battery is around Rs 20,000.

In September, four burglars broke into the Government High School in Batengoo, Anantnag, and ran away with 16 batteries.

In a similar instance on June 6, burglars ran away with a similar number of batteries from Government High School, Bewoora, Bijbehara.

On April 6, burglars decamped with 16 from Government High School Mattan and four batteries from Government Boys Middle School Mattan.

The two schools are located barely a few meters from each other.

This year, 68 batteries have gone missing from five government schools so far.

The panels were provided under the government’s Samagra Shiksha scheme through the Jammu and Kashmir Energy Development Agency (JAKEDA) to upgrade the basic infrastructure of government schools.

This allows schools to reduce electricity expenses significantly, freeing up funds for other critical needs.

However, with batteries going missing most of the solar panels are lying defunct affecting the academic activities in schools.

“The power supply to the science and computer labs in the schools remains interrupted,” an official said.

In the year 2022, burglars struck seven government schools, stealing at least 82 solar panel batteries.

In the subsequent year, 160 batteries were stolen from at least 10 government schools.

Chief Education Officer (CEO) Anantnag, Kamal Kishore told Greater Kashmir that cases already stand registered against these incidents of burglaries at various police stations.

“We hope that the gang is unearthed and the culprits are brought to book,” the CEO said.