SILCHAR, July 2 - Even after seven decades of Independence, Shefali Saotal, Chamaki Barman, Chitralekha Rajbongshi and many residents of Narayanpur Rail Basti in Cachar district are yet to witness electricity connection in their homes. But they are a happy lot as they can do their chores during night courtesy solar panels and lanterns provided to them by the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation�s social wing.
On Tuesday, Cachar Deputy Commissioner Laya Madduri gave away the 100th solar panel to a family of the village completing the process of illuminating homes of the villagers.
�This is a remote village with poor connectivity and road condition. But the ONGC and Barefoot College of Rajasthan deserve thanks for working in tandem and transform the village into a solar village by providing the required equipment and also developing the manpower to maintain the equipment. This may well the beginning of the development activities and the district administration shall look into the issues affecting the lives of the people here,� Madduri said.
�We are happy to have the solar panels with which working at night has become easy. We hope that Suprabha Rajbongshi who has been trained about using the solar panels shall help us to keep the equipment in the best condition,� said Shefali and Chitralekha.
On the other hand, AJ Das, Asset Manager of ONGC Assam Arakan Forward Base (EA) at Silchar informed that Rs 41.36 lakh has been utilised under the CSR project and two persons have been trained for proper utilisation of the panels.