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ASDS lights up the lives of tribals in Agency areas
While most of the urban folks are fortunate to have electricity all round-the-clock, most of the villagers in tribal areas, particularly in the merged mandals of the East Godavari district are living in dark with no electricity.
The NGO, association with Godrej Foundation, has established a solar power grid in every village of the tribal mandals and connected the houses directly to the grid for power supply
Rekhapalli (East Godavari): While most of the urban folks are fortunate to have electricity all round-the-clock, most of the villagers in tribal areas, particularly in the merged mandals of the East Godavari district are living in dark with no electricity.
They say they are being bitten by poisonous snakes and insects in the pitch dark and are unable to call emergency service like 108 as they have no power to charge their mobile phones. Children are not able to study in the night due to lack of electricity, they pour out.
Moved by the plight of these innocent tribals, Agriculture and Social Development Society (ASDS), an NGO situated in Rekhapalli village of V.R Puram mandal in the district, has been establishing solar power grids with the cooperation of Godrej in agency mandals of Chintur, V.R Puram, Yetapaka and Koonavaram mandals.
They are setting up solar power grids by spending Rs 2.50 lakh to Rs 3.50 lakh on each village depending on the area of villages in 31 tribal villages which have no electricity. In the past, solar power plants were set up at one place in each village and charging lights were distributed by various departments.
However, this system failed as villagers had to charge their lights at one place in village and several of them have sold the charging lights due to lack of awareness. Now, the ASDS has taken up the initiative and connected every house directly to the solar power grid through wires.
The Society had fit a switch board in every house and distributed two LED bulbs and mobile charging socket. Integrated Tribal Development Authority, Chintur has also come up in providing two LED bulbs for each household.
While two youngsters from each village are being trained in three phases at ASDS office in order to protect and maintain the solar power grid, village committees have also been set up in each village to protect the grid.
Director, ASDS, V Gandhi Babu said the initiative was bringing lights in the lives of tribals and they were now able to call emergency services and perform works in the night. Children are also able to study in the night and they were now safe from snakes and insects in the dark.
