It was like a scene straight out of Ashutosh Gowarikar’s Swades . Hiriyamma (90) of Medaganane, an isolated village on Male Mahadeshwara Hills, saw a glowing bulb for the first time in her life on November 22 this year.
This was no ordinary feat since even trekkers find it hard to get to Medaganane and other villages in MM gram panchayat limits. These settlements are surrounded by rolling hills and deep valleys. What makes the trek particularly perilous is the presence of wild elephants.
Of the 10 settlements in the gram panchayat limits, Medaganane is fortunate to now have LED bulbs glowing in 25 houses. This is thanks to Rotary Club of Mysore, which in association with Selco Solar Private Limited, Mysuru, provided solar lighting to the entire village at a cost of just Rs. 2.30 lakh. Every house in this village has been provided a solar panel, battery and three sets of LED bulbs.
Muniraju (28) says that the light helps his seven-year son Raju study better. His family have now begun eating together. “Earlier we used to burn firewood and light kerosene lamps. Now, we can even charge our mobile phones,” he said.
Pandu (70) says, “The village saw light for the first time after the country got Independence.”.
Chikkamadhu (37) had a small complaint, though. “Though houses are lit, we are unable to use television sets. We have been assured that we will be able to use them too,” he said.
Manjunath of Mysore Resettlement and Development Agency (MYRADA) said that attempts over the past eight years by the district administration to provide lighting to 10 villages had failed to yield results.
