Byculla's Jain temple installs 115 solar panels

In an eco-friendly move, Byculla's Motisha Jain Temple has taken great strides in conserving electricity. The temple recently, in its first phase, installed solar panels through which it aims to cut down the temple's power bills on a large scale.

The trustees of the 188-year-old temple on Motisha lane in Byculla claim that they are the first one to go green. "We are probably the first ones to have solar panels to meet our energy needs," said Jagdish Mehta, trustee of Shree Motisha Religious and Charitable Trust.

"I went to China and 75 per cent of their buildings get energy from solar panels. It is the purest form of electricity which one can achieve without harming the environment. Hence, the idea was pitched and we decided to go green," said Mehta.

The trust then invested Rs 24 lakh and set up 115 panels. "There is no electricity used inside the temple. It is only outside and the premises. We look to save Rs 8 lakh annually. We will review the project after a few months and then expand it to two more phases," added Mehta.