The wind farm paradox in southern Tamil Nadu

A wind farm located amidst an agricultural field in Samadhanapuram in Tirunelveli district. Photo by Narayana Swamy Subbaraman/Mongabay.


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Is it really a just transition?

The energy transition in the region has been smooth and mostly peaceful. But as Tamil Nadu gears to meet clean energy targets with new plans, it becomes vital to study the long-term social impacts of renewable energy projects to develop a roadmap for a transition that is also just for the people and environment.

Narrating a recent incident, residents of Tirunelveli told Mongabay-India that, a few months ago, a young man climbed over a transformer in a wind farm in Tirunelveli to steal a copper wire that could fetch him some money if he sold it. But he didn’t know that high tension cables could be dangerous to touch. He died because of electrocution. This was not the first event of this kind, the people shared. Attempts to steal copper wires from transformers of wind farms are common in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu.

The security guards at such wind farms are often older people who have no other choice of jobs. Ganesan N., 65, a resident of Aralvaimozhi near the Muppandal wind farm, who has been working as a security guard in a private wind farm for about five years, has a hectic schedule. He shuttles between morning and night shifts, braving both hot temperatures in the day hours and an eerily empty, remote space during the night. His wife Saraswathi G., 58, who is scared for her husband’s safety during the night, hesitantly says that she has gotten used to this lifestyle as there are no other jobs available for them in their old age. The couple, however, said that although there are no farmlands left for the locals to practice agriculture on, the younger generation would get jobs if more wind farms were erected.

Ganesan N (65), a security guard at a wind farm in Panamkudi village along with his wife Saraswathi G (58) in Tirunelveli. Photo by Narayana Swamy Subbaraman/Mongabay.
Ganesan N (65), a security guard at a wind farm near Muppandal, along with his wife Saraswathi G (58) in Tirunelveli. Photo by Narayana Swamy Subbaraman/Mongabay.

There are also instances where people working in wind farms in this region had to quit, owing to different reasons. Kamal Kannan (name changed), who used to work in a wind farm in Muppandal as a crane operator, involved in erecting and de-erecting turbines, quit his job. “Men from other northern states are being employed for a lesser salary. But crane operation is a demanding job with huge risks. I had to move for salary growth,” he said. He now works in a metro city in building construction.

Sasikala K., 42, who used to work as an accountant at a private wind farm had to quit her job too. “The wind farms are situated at very isolated locations, not close to the town centres. I had to drive back alone during the late evening hours after work. After I had children, I felt that I needed to be safe, not just for me, but for them too. Therefore, we set up a small shop here for basic goods,” she told Mongabay-India.

As Sasikala narrates her story, another pattern, common to many other renewable energy projects across the country, becomes clear – safety and accessibility for women is a common concern. Jobs for women in the wind or solar power sector, thus, are limited.

Thangaraj, who works on a wind farm, gives his view on this, “I do acknowledge that women can’t feel as safe in crane operation or security jobs at wind farms. But there are many women in factories producing electrical components that are used in wind turbines. That counts as a green job too.”

 

Banner image: Thangaraj C. from Mettu Pirancheri says wind energy is a boon as it has brought employment opportunities for many young engineers like him in the villages of southern Tamil Nadu. Photo by Narayana Swamy Subbraman/Mongabay.

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