Naxal-hit Amasebailu will be state’s first solar-powered GP

Amasebailu is all set to become the first fully solar-powered gram panchayat in the state by December 10. The Naxal-hit village has come a long way since it was adopted in 2008 by Amasebailu Charitable Trust and Karnataka Bank.The brain behind this project, A G Kodgi, president of Amasebailu Charitable Trust had envisioned the project to provide solar lights to all the households in his village when he was the chairman of Third Finance Commission Implementation Task Force. The trust has provided solar lamps to 1,328 households and only 73 houses are still devoid of the solar power. The trust took assistance from Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) of the Union Government and the Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Limited (KREDL) to realise this project. `25 lakh was given under Naxal affected area development fund by the Udupi district administration. Beneficiaries also contributed their share.

SELCO Solar Light Pvt Ltd, which won the tender, provided two solar lights for just `3,000. “The village was reeling under power outages earlier. Solar lamps brought a change in their lives,” says A G Kodgi, adding Amasebailu gram panchayat is able to generate 60 units of electricity daily through solar power. Beechu, an elderly woman from the Koraga family in Kumbrijeddu in Amasebailu, told Express she can now work even during the nights and make more baskets. “Now, my studies are never interrupted,” says Revathi, a class 7 student from the Koraga community. Jayalakshmi Shetty, president of the GP told Express that she feels proud to say that all households in her gram panchayat have solar lamps. In all, 20 solar-powered streetlights have also been installed in Amasebailu.

Source:TNIE