Over 4,000 Chandigarh Residents Face Property Seizure Threat Over Rooftop Solar Mandate

The Union Territory administration of Chandigarh has issued notices to over 4,000 homes with plots measuring 500 square yards or more, warning that their properties could be seized if rooftop solar power systems are not installed within the next two months. This action, taken under the Chandigarh Building Rules (Urban), was reported by the Times of India (TOI).

The notices have sparked strong opposition from residents, with Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari calling the move "coercive." Tewari voiced his concerns on social media platform X, stating that many Chandigarh residents are frustrated by the notices. "A substantial number of citizens ofChandigarh are upset about coercive notices to install roof top solar plants ortheir properties would be resumed, They are not against renewables, but theyare against coercion and they are right," he said.

During a recent meeting about the 'PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana'—a new central government subsidy program for solar rooftop systems—residents expressed their displeasure. Federation of Sectors Welfare Association-Chandigarh (Foswac) chairman, Baljinder Singh Sandhu, commented, "Residents should befree to opt for rooftop solar power plants. It involves major fnancial costs,which many may not be able to afford, Such notices are a scare tactic so thatpeople opt for recentlylaunched Central govt scheme."

A senior official from the Union Territory administration stated that residents were given a final extension to comply by March 2021. He urged them to take advantage of the PM Surya Ghar-Muft Bijli Yojana, which offers subsidies for solar installations.

According to sources from TOI, rooftop solar installations have been mandatory in Chandigarh since May 2016. However, the response from residents has been limited, primarily due to the high capital expenditure involved.