Power dept plans to use solar lights in villages on river banks

The state Power department is planning to use solar lights in villages situated on the banks of rivers at various places. The department has found it more feasible to use solar lights in the villages as the electric poles might be damaged due to erosion which is very rampant in some villages in the state. The decision was taken at a high-level meeting convened by the state Power minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay at the office of the West Bengal Power Development Corporation Ltd (WBPDCL) on Saturday. Senior Power department officials from the districts were present in the meeting. The minister wanted to know from them what were the problems they have been facing while implementing various projects.

After the meeting, Chattopadhyay told media: “We have already identified some villages situated on the river banks where around 30-60 families are living in each village. Setting up of poles is costly and the poles are likely to be damaged due to erosion which would incur a huge loss to the government. As a result of this, we are planning to connect these villages with solar power.”

The state Power department will tie up with the local panchayat functionaries to maintain the solar lights. The minister also pointed out that a section of private contractors involved in the process of supplying power in villages were creating a temporary crisis of various instruments used for uninterrupted power supply. “I have asked the WBPDCL chairman to identify these contractors. The department would take strong steps against them. Their licences may be cancelled if the situation demands so,” Chattopadhyay said.

Source: millenniumpost