Mangalur : Having suffered in dark and the desire to see light, I accepted to become the head of the implementing committee to go solar, said Yamuna S.Rai of Perabe Gram Panchayat in Puttur Taluk . With a light on her face, she was proud to say, that she had installed roof top solar energy unit 6 years ago at her home, and started generating electricity for their own needs and experienced its benefits. Now I feel, I have made the right a move to see light and feeling confident, which has developed a desire in me, to see, the entire gram panchayat go for solar energy, she said.

Now we have taken the task on hand of making the entire Perabe gram panchayat, go solar and benefit from it, and also become a model gram panchayat to have initiated such a move and we are sure to achieve our goal. We would soon, show a way to other panchayats is the entire state, and that is our desireable desire, said Yamuna S.Rai. She said the immediate effort would be to use solar energy for making the panchayat office work effectively and also computerize the entire panchayat office, so that we will not suffer due to power cuts.

This desire attracted a like minded person, Sheena Shetty, Director Jana Skihshana Trust and former Ombudsman of MGNREGA for Dakshina kannada, to motivate the Parabe Gram Panchayat, and give all necessary guidance. First to develope a desire in them towards achieving their goal, he made them pass a resolution to achieve it. Sheena shetty, had already got benefited by setting up a solar unit at the model resource centre at Mudipu near Konaje. Having taken that initiative, and seen the benefit, sheena shetty could confidently guide, the Perabe panchayat to achieve their desire, when they looked forward to him.

At a recent meeting organised by the district administration for creating awareness on benefits of installation of roof top solar energy unit, he mentioned the desire and plans of the entire Perabe Gram Panchayat to go solar. His request was for the CEO of Dakshina kannada Zilla Panchayat to visit the panchayat and see if by any scheme there could be financial help given to people to set up solar energy unit.. Sheena shetty had brought to focus the desire of Perabe gram panchayat and explained to the Deputy Commissioner, A.B.Ibrahim, in the presence of Sri Vidya CEO of Dakshina kannada Zilla Panchayat and MLC Ivan D’Souza on whose initiative the awareness meeting was called.

Thus, was the voice heard and we happened to visit and hear the people and Perabe Gram Panchayat, members. During visit to Delpady Colony which had benefited by solar energy, we were welcomed by four members of the family with a beaming smile who among many was wise enough to install roof top solar energy unit. Avinash, an young boy a, studying in 9th std, happily showed an LED light burning in the kitchen, and another light in the hall. He also demonstrated, a mini DVD player working with the electricity produced by the solar energy unit which they have installed. Both Avinash and his father rushed out of their house, to show us the solar panel. Avinash said their solar unit cost Rs. 10,000, which was provided by Rotary Club. When Avinash, father was asked about solar energy, he said he only knew that sun had only threw light and heat, but never dreamt that its has energy and that could be harnessed and electricity produced out of it. Avinash said as student, now, I feel confident, of scoring better marks in the exams, because I have more time to study because of light at home, even after sunsets.

Bhaskar a building cooly, was proud to show a pedestal fan working on electricity produced out of solar energy. He said he opted it knowing that his unit cost Rs.15,000/- because he had an young baby in the cradle at home and requires fan when it is hot during the day.

Chama Gowda, a member of the panchayat said, he had a fractured leg, when he found it very difficult to move around at home in dark and no electricity during power cut. When the idea of installing solar unit was told to him, without hesitation, he said, I, accepted even though there was financial difficulty. It was only after that, I realsied that when there is light there is life, he said. He had to invest Rs.7500/- for that unit which he installed.

Another resident Babu Gowda, of Kunthur Majal, in Puttur Taluk, near Delpady colony, had invested Rs.60,000/- and installed a bigger capacity unit by which he could produce enough power that can run grinder, Mixer, watch TV and run fans. Babu gowda’s wife was thrilled to show, to CEO P.I.Sri Vidya of Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat,that their grinder was run on electricity produced out of solar energy.Babu gowda put on his TV and said how the entire world is brought into my house, through this small TV.

The Panchayat president Baby C.Patali, said City Rotary, were have come forward to give latern and also build a study centre for students of the Panchayat. This she said would enable students to put extra efforts and study well and achieve better merit in their exams and bright future. The solar units will be installed and maintained by SELCO run by Harish Hande, who is an Indian social entrepreneur, who co-founded SELCO India in 1995. He was awarded with the Ramon Magsaysay Award for 2011 for “his pragmatic efforts to put solar power technology in the hands of the poor. Selco will help those who want to look up to sun for energy.

The perabe gram panchayat, has 1272 houses out of which 202 house have solar energy and rest of the houses wants to go for solar energy by March 2016. With the visit of P.I. Sreevidya (CEO) of Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat, due to the initiative of Sheena Shetty, Director Jana Skihshana Trust and former Ombudsman of MGNREGA for Dakshina kannada the project on hand could definitely be achieved on time. Yamuna S.Rai , head of the solar implementing committee and Baby, President of the Perabe Gram Panchayat had a reason to smile and their face lightup due to the the CEO visit.

Perabe Gram Panchayat in Puttur Taluk is all set to become the model panchayat in the state and show sunlight is life and also to show way to other Gram Panchayat. R.Eshwarraj