Solar power becoming boon to rural areas

BY OUR CORRESPONDENT

Gaighat (Udayapur), August 5: After waiting for years in futile for electricity people in the remote areas of Udayapur district are turning towards solar power for electricity.

The rural solar energy programme has become something like a boon to the people of the area, says Khamba Bahadur Magar, a farmer of Malayadanda VDC of Udayapur district.

It is not only Khamba Bahadur Magar, but also hundreds of other families of villages like Panchawati, Bhuttar, Khanbu, Saune, Risbu, Malayadanda and Beltar, who are benefiting from solar plants, says Govinda Prasad Dhaka, who sales and markets solar plant in Gaighat.

Dhakal, who has reached to each of those villages to install the plant, said people in other districts like Khotang, Bhojpur, Dhankuta, Okhaldhunga, and Solukhumbu are also showing keen interest towards the solar plant.

He says a 40-watt plant is enough for a family to light six bulbs, to use a television, radio and cassette. The plant cost Rs. 40,000.

Dhakal said they are using the solar plants produced by Alternative Energy Promotion Centre of Laserson Energy Pvt. Ltd. The plants use Japanese equipment and are guaranteed for 25 years.

Meanwhile, Ambar Bahadur Katuwal, a farmer of Khanbu village of the district said the cost of solar plants have increased because the government has reduced subsidy for the installation of the plants. The last year’s budget reduced subsidy from 15 per cent 8 per cent and this year it has been further reduced, he said.