There has been a increasing awareness among the rural local bodies about the importance of solar street lamps for more than one reason. First, it can be easily installed at any place particularly on the pathway to grave yard and at shandy places. Second, it minimises the recurring expenditure on power consumption bills.
Be it the District panchayat or panchayat union or village panchayat, utilisation of solar lamps has been the main discussion at their periodical meetings.
R. Annadurai, district panchayat councillor representing ward 18, says he had installed about 70 solar lamps in Somarasampettai, Allithurai, Kodiyalam, Kuzhumani, Ettarai, Koppu and Vayalur, at an expenditure of Rs. 32,800 each lamp.
He had identified interior sites such as pathway to burial ground where power line is not available. Further, it has been facilitating to avoid road accidents at junction places where two or three roads converge. He pointed out that the solar lamps would be an additional facility and would cater to the energy needs of people at important or isolated places.
Change in designMr. Annadurai said the new design in the installation involves less maintenance. In the old method, compact fluorescent lights (CFL) were utilised but in the present design, light-emitting diode (LED) lamps are fitted. He advises the local body leaders to utilise the LED type solar design.
According to official sources, an estimated 1,000 solar lamps had been installed in rural areas by various agencies and schemes in the district. Steps were taken for ensuring proper maintenance of the solar lamps. “Any minor fault particularly in the old designs, will result in the underutilisation or non-utilisation of infrastructure,” say a cross-section of village panchayat presidents.
About 1,000 solar lamps have been installed in Pudukottai district
