Lucknow, Jul 28 (IANS): King George’s Medical University (KGMU) which has 75 per cent of its terrace surface area vacant, will use it to install solar power plants.

Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, who is also the Health Minister, said that only 25 per cent of the medical university’s terrace surface area has been used for solar panels, including a recent 1-MW plant and an earlier 1.3 MW plant.

He urged the Energy Minister Arvind Kumar Sharma to utilise the remaining 75 per cent of the terrace area, along with the hostel area, for installing solar panels to generate clean energy and reduce the university’s electricity bill.

He also suggested a change in the land use classification of the university from commercial to domestic to further reduce the electricity bill burden.

He emphasised that the health department works for the welfare of the public by providing free treatment in district hospitals and offering minimal-cost treatment at KGMU and SGPGIMS.

However, as a commercial building, they are subject to commercial bills. He made a request to explore ways to reclassify the building to reduce the current electricity bill of Rs 5 crore per month at KGMU, providing significant relief.

The minister said, “Campus cleanliness is remarkable. It should be preserved and biomedical waste disposal should also be improved.”