Mumbai: BMC denies permission to install solar lights in slums

In today’s era where the government is promoting the use of solar energy and pushing people to go solar, the local municipal body has denied permission for certain slums for installing solar panels in their area.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has denied permission to install solar lights in slum areas on the following grounds. According to the BMC, there is lack of sunlight in slums, then again lights are stolen and problems with regards to its battery are some of the reasons for dis-allowing of solar lights to slums.

Following the BMC’s decision, a spark of anger has raged in people who stay in slums. From their point of view, due to lack of street light in slumps, people staying there have to suffer through many things, including many crimes that take place in the absence of street lights.

Citing these reasons, Congress corporator had requested BMC to install solar lights in slums. However, the BMC hasn’t shown any positive approach towards this issue so far.

According to Navshakti newspaper, a BMC official was quoted as saying that installing solar lights in slums, is a very tedious job. Small lanes and densely populated shanties make it impossible to install solar lights in slums.

The report further added that, solar lights needs sunlight for 4 to 5 hours, to charge, but due densely populated shanties, the solar lights doesn’t get charged and due to this the solar lights can’t run the whole night. And also the bulbs of these solar lights and it’s batteries get stolen, hence it is impossible to install solar lights in slums.

Source:freepressjournal