RANGPUR, Oct 12, 2018 (BSS) – Lifestyle of over 5,000 families living in remote char villages under Nageswari upazila of Kurigram has changed after distribution of cost-free solar panels by the government there in recent years.
The char people are enjoying electricity-oriented facilities getting uninterrupted power supply from solar panel units set up on their houses in the hardly reachable riverine char villages remaining detached from the mainland.
Earlier, the people living in some 60 char villages of the upazila remained deprived of contemporary facilities for decades. They had to conduct their all works at nights in light of the kerosene-burnt lamps.
Project Implementation Officer (PIO) of Nageswari upazila Md Sirajuddowla said the char people are getting uninterrupted power supply using over 5,000 solar panel units distributed in recent years among them free of costs under various projects.
The Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief distributed the solar panels among the people living in remote char areas during the last three fiscals under auspices of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources.
“Some 3,500 solar panels were distributed among char families during the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 fiscals under the Taka for Work, Test Relief and Rural Infrastructure Maintenance programmes,” he said.
Besides, 1,677 solar panel units were distributed among char families and authorities of different educational institutions, Mosques, mandirs, hats and bazaars and other institutions during the last 2017-2018 fiscal in the upazila, the PIO added.
Talking to BSS, Chairman of Bamondanga union in Nageswari upazila Amjad Hossain Bepari said a huge change has taken place in the lifestyle and livelihoods of the char people by virtue of the light of solar panels.
“Though the char people could not even think about electricity even an era ago, but it has become a reality as solar panels have made the facility available making their dream true,” he said.
Talking to BSS, char people Mohsena Akhter, Abdul Bari and Kaiyum Hossain of different char villages in Nageswari upazila said they are getting uninterrupted supply of power using solar panels supplied by the government.
They are watching television programmes to become aware of drug abuse, child marriage and malnutrition and using fans, electric bulbs and refrigerators, charging mobile phone sets, operating computers and doing their other daily jobs.
Nageswari Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sankar Kumar Biswas recently said solar panels have become popular among the char people bringing electricity at their homes and making their life easier and comfortable.
The government has distributed solar panels with capacities from 20W to 1,200W among the common people and institution levels in the char areas where the students are also studying at nights in lights solar power.
Side by side with lighting their rooms, the char people are charging their mobile phone sets, enjoying television programmes, using ceiling and table fans and refrigerators with power generated by the solar panels.
‘The present pro-people government has distributed the solar panels free of costs among the char people considering the problems they faced for decades together in the remote and hardly reachable char areas,” the UNO added.