ZCZC
BSS-06
SOLAR-POWER-RAJSHAHI (with picture)
Solar power becomes boon for char villagers in Rajshahi
RAJSHAHI, March 2, 2020 (BSS) – Solar power has appeared blessings for
many char people as it turns the local people’s dream into reality by
bringing changes to their living and livelihood conditions.
People living in many hard-to-reach villages on the banks of Padma River
in Paba, Godagari and Bagha Upazilas in Rajshahi and Sadar and Shibgonj
Upazilas in Chapainawabganj districts started to dream by using solar power.
Abu Kalam, a solar power user in Char Mazar Diar of Paba Upazila, said he
could not even think about electricity a decade ago. But now it has become a
reality as the villagers can avail it.
He added his village has become enlightened with uninterrupted electricity
generated from solar panel. The power also brings many positive changes to
living and livelihood condition of the villagers in many ways.
Housewives Monwara Begum of village Char Nowshera and Anjuara Khaatun of
Char Hanumantanagar said they are getting uninterrupted supply of power using
solar technology.
Md Sanaullah, UP Chairman, told BSS that around 35,000 people live in six
villages and of them, around 15,000 got power connections. The beneficiary
villages are: Ashariadaha, Panipar, Bhubanpara, Kanpara, Hanumantha Nagar and
Nawshera.
He said the char villagers and owners of the solar power units neither
suffer from low-voltage nor load shedding and some of them are crushing paddy
at night using electricity from solar plants.
AVA Mini Grid Project introduced 594 solar panels with financial initiative
of Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL) providing power supply
to six villages. Engineer Millat Hossain, Plant Manager of the project, said
they had started the solar panel and supply line installation works with an
estimated cost of around Taka 10 crore on November 6, 2015.
At present, the panels are generating 148.5 kilowatts electricity and the
villages are getting power through the distribution line. He said the
villagers are enjoying the power supply facilities through prepaid card
system and all of them are happy.
UP chairman Sanaullah said IDCOL has brought solar home systems to his
villagers.
The small solar panels provide enough electricity to charge a phone, run a
fan, turns on a light or a TV in the evening hours, he said.
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