Kundapur: Amasebailu gram panchayat, will become the first fully solar-powered gram panchayat in the state by December 10.
The village, affected by Naxalites and their activities has been improving ever since it was adopted in 2008 by Amasebailu Charitable Trust and Karnataka Bank. The trust has provided solar lamps to 1,328 households till now. As many as 73 houses are still devoid of the solar power. A G Kodgi, president of Amasebailu Charitable Trust, the brain behind the project, envisioned the project to provide solar lights to all the households in his village when he was the chairman of Third Finance Commission Implementation Task Force.
With assistance from Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) of the Union Government and the Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Limited (KREDL), Amasebailu Charitable Trust received Rs 25 lakh from Udupi district administration under Naxal affected area development fund.
Kodgi said that Amasebailu gram panchayat is able to generate 60 units of electricity daily through solar power. As many as 20 solar-powered streetlights have also been installed in Amasebailu. Thanks to SELCO Solar Light Pvt Ltd, who won the tender and provided two solar lights for just Rs 3,000. The beneficiaries also pooled in their share.
The villagers are all happy and proud as almost every household has solar lamps.
