TERI takes solar power to tribal ashram schools

The pilot project is proposed to be completed by August 2013

The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) a global NGO in collaboration with the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) is setting up 1 KV solar power generation plants in 20 Tribal Ashram Schools in the Agency areas in the district as a panacea to the power cut problem which has hit the studies of tribal students.

TERI had taken up the same as a pilot project and will be completing it by August 2013.

TERI is spending Rs. 2.75 lakh on each 1KV plant.

The district administration is yet to take a decision on covering all the ashram schools reportedly due to paucity of funds. Besides ITDA has no full fledged project officer to take an initiative in this regard.

TERI State Coordinator V.V.K.B.N. Murthy told The Hindu that solar energy based lighting will be a boon to the students in tribal areas and would solve the problem of frequent interruption to power supply.

TERI in partnership with Union Ministry of Renewable Resources has introduced solar appliances including home lighting systems, individual lanterns and task lights etc in the villages. It is setting up solar charging stations (SCS) in the rural and Agency areas to re-charge solar appliances. There are 100 solar charging stations in the State and 200 more are in the offing.

The solar charging stations mainly recharge the batteries which can be used for 4 to 6 hours every day.

The stations can charge 50 lights at a time. The villagers need not go to the charging station but the technician who mans it would himself take the responsibility of their charging and maintenance.

Every village will have a local entrepreneur who will supply and maintain the solar lamps. Every nine villages will have a technical resource person who will oversee the smooth functioning of the solar charging stations. As many as 43 stations are operating in the district, 30 in Srikakulam, 44 in East Godavari district, nine in Guntur, 12 in Karimnagar and two stations in Adilabad are running.

The local people in every village take care of the entrepreneur’s salary by paying for the battery recharge.

Similarly the nine villages pay Rs.300 each from every village to take care of the technician’s salary.

TERI in partnership with Union Ministry of Renewable Resources has introduced solar appliances

There are 100 solar charging stations in the State and 200 more are in the offing