"The locals are ensuring that these lights remain intact and are taking care of these in turns," Kirti Duddhulal Ahake, sarpanch of Manegaon village, said. (Express) Several women farm labourers in the tribal hamlets living on the edges of Pench Tiger Reserve in Nagpur feel far more secure while returning home at dusk these days. All thanks to the 207 solar street lamps lighting up roads leading to their villages in Ramtek taluka, which was until recently notorious for fatal accidents and crimes against women.
The thick jungle and the frequent spotting of wild animals and reptiles in the neighbourhoods had made life here particularly difficult post sunset, especially for women belonging to the tribal communities, who return home after work, either from jungles or farms, during the late evening hours.
Being a jungle area, very little could be done by local gram panchayats towards improving the lighting of roads and the tribals were largely dependent on the forest department. The presence of the department’s timber depot in Paoni village gave the forest officials a peek into the hardships faced by the residents prompting them to initiate steps to improve the situation.
“The area frequently reported crimes such as drunkards taking advantage of the dark to abuse women. The roads were highly prone to accidents, some even turning fatal. But since the street lights were installed in May this year, the scenario has changed,” Kirti Duddhulal Ahake, 29, sarpanch of Manegaon village, told The Indian Express.
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At least 800 families across five villages, namely Hiwara, Paoni, Sawangi, Manegaon and Salai, living along a 9-km stretch of the Nagpur-Jabalpur National Highway-7 have benefitted. The solar street lighting works were initiated with Rs 41 lakh corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds provided by the Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM).
“This is the first time that the FDCM has used its CSR for street lighting using solar lamps in this locality,” said A Praveen, divisional manager, FDCM, Nagpur.
As an added benefit, the locality has also become largely free of open defecation, turning cleaner and hygienic.
“The Paoni weekly market now operates until late evening hours and residents here are seen taking advantage to complete their shopping during these extended hours,” said Sanjay Sontakke from Srishti, an NGO that has been working with the tribal communities, the forest officials and local government administration to bring about this solar revolution.
Moreover, the locals are ensuring that these lights remain intact and are taking care of these in turns, Ahake said.
“Children now play at the school grounds during the evening as they are now well lit and this is good for their health,” said Sontakke, who started talking to villagers in the neighbouring areas about expanding this solar street lighting project.
Thirty lights have been installed at Hiwara, informed village sarpanch Ganesh Choudhary.
“But the local residents have demanded more lights. I am hopeful of providing more lights by Diwali this year,” he added.
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