Hydel project: K’handi villagers get power 16 hrs per day

Note: Good initiative. Efforts should be made to establish more such project.

The Pioneer, Dec 23, 2011

While the demand for electricity has been increasing day by day, the Government is unable to provide sufficient electricity to its consumers.

But with the combined effort of an NGO and poor people, a micro hydro system has been initiated that is catering to the need of 285 families of five villages with uninterrupted supply of electricity for 16 hours a day over last three years at Purunuguma village under Thuamul Rampur block. The people of the remote pocket were living without electricity before 2008.

With the financial aid of Rs 30 lakh from Switzerland Development Corporation, an NGO “Gram Vikas” accumulated the stream water flowing from a hilly area and diverted it through a small tunnel and succeed in generating electricity after setting up of a micro hydro system in the village.

The project was started after collecting Rs 1,000 from each household. It was commissioned in November, 2008 with the concrete efforts of Purunaguma, Lineguda and Choudaguda villagers. The denizens are now enjoying 16 hours of power supply which helps them watch television at homes and their children study at night. The micro hydro system is providing the energy from 4 pm to 8 am. However, efforts are being made to provide 24 hours uninterrupted power supply to the locals by the NGO.

The beneficiaries pay Rs 30 per month for which maintenance expenses is incurred. Apart from this, a rice mill and a mini oil mill have been set up in Purunaguma that run with electricity from the project and help the inhabitants increase their income. A survey report said that more than 40 micro hydro projects can be set up in different remote pockets in Kalahandi after collecting stream waters from the hilly areas. For sure, if the Government focuses on such projects, power shortage will be a thing of the past.