SOLAR ENERGY VILLAGE OF SUNDARBAN, 24 PARAGANAS S

[GOPI KANTA GHOSH]

Devipur village is situated in 24 Paraganas S of West Bengal situated a little interior. Due to topography till now electricity could not reach and may no reach during next many years. People are obviously poor. It was not connected with good road too. Most of the people belong to backward classes. The village was adopted by Ramakrishna Ashram, Nimpith. Road was built with support of scheme Pradhan Mantri Gram Swaraj Yojana thus improving communication. MNES helped them to adopt renewable energy with Solar Home Light in every home and wood water gas for running generator to supply to shops, school hostel etc. At first stage few houses were covered. When I came close to them I got corporate sector to fund thus Minex Foundation of Mumbai came forward. Now over 70 houses covered, income increased and situation changed drastically. A report attached.

[V.K. Raman]

Only 70 houses are covered.   There may be hundreds of other houses in this village alone still to be covered.  The plight of several other villages should be no different.  The people should pull up the Panchayat Presidents, sitting MLAs and MPs to make them knock the Govt. doors to provide the basic necessities.  There is no shortage of funds with the Govts. these days.  The money gets siphoned out. Kind hearted charitable organisations like Minex Foundation can be of little help that too once or twice only.  

[Meetali Joshi]

This is encouraging and what about the water supply facilities there? Is there potable water provided to the villages or not? But yes there are many villages that need access to water and electricity and if possible in a sustainable way. I feel the Govt. should promote sustainable development in India at a large scale. 

[GOPI KANTA GHOSH]

Water supply is still a problem but practice of Rainwater harvesting has been introduced. Administration and State level politicians are not interested since there is no interest group. We are going slow that is why. Rather as number swelled politicians started taking interest created more problem but fortunately local politicians are better. They do not differentiate political line even in this chaotic situation and they join hand to support the program beyond party line. Most of the villagers are of backward communities. Minex gave us condition that it must not be grant. Though they do not want fund to o back to them but suggested it must be recovered from beneficiaries to support another family This way slowly it is expanding. One good reaction is people finding it useful started installing with their own money, at least those who can afford, thus it is picking up. Let us hope that it will turn into silent revolution.

[V.K. Raman]

Rural Electrification Corporation, created only for the purpose of taking electricity to the rural population should be approached to extend power lines to these interior areas.  Local panchayat board should be able to give protected drinking water supply by providing street taps at least. State Government should be approached to provide hospitals/primary health centres as well as primary/secondary education at least up to +2 level.  Local prominent citizens should take interest and initiative to get things done.  The District Admin. should first be approached for a comprehensive plan of development. 

[GOPI KANTA GHOSH]

In this area it is difficult because of topography. That is why other options are tried. Just imagine 24 Paraganas S district close to Kolkata is not having electricity in 75% area.

[KANCHAN KUMAR ROY CHOWDHURY]

Good effort. Such efforts should continue, that enable a larger appreciation and promote Sustainable Development, a need of the Future.

 

[GOPI KANTA GHOSH]

There are more plan to growth. A project on beekeeping and honey collection was submitted as part of cluster effort and we expect sanction any time. In Nimpith we are planning Incubation Center to handhold first generation Entrepreneurship. 

[Jadhav Nilambari Chandrakant]

thanks for information , sir

[GOPI KANTA GHOSH]

Welcome