A total of 159 anganwadi centres in Dakshina Kannada district have decided to go for green energy.
Taking a cue from a solar power campaign initiated by ‘Apna Desh’, Jana Shikshana Trust, Grama Vikasa Kendra, Sugrama Sangha, Panchayat Raj institutions, and Selco Foundation are motivating people to go for renewable sources of energy, while the anganwadi centres have decided to use green energy for their daily energy needs.
In the first phase, 159 anganwadi centres will become self-sufficient in energy needs. They are Bantwal – 30, Mangaluru – 18, Sullia – 2, Puttur – 35, Belthangady – 36, and Udupi – 10 and 28 Shishupalana Kendras run by Prajna Counselling Centre, under the aid of the Central Social Welfare Board. The solar panel is capable of lighting two bulbs, one fan and the unit cost is Rs 22,000. The anganwadi centres, through donors or local committees, have to bear Rs 8,500 (40 per cent of the installation cost) for installing the solar panels, and rest is borne by the Selco Foundation and MEL.
The Perabe Gram Panchayat, which has initiated a move to become completely solar-powered, has 10 anganwadi centres and one Shishupalana Kendra. The Subrahmanya temple will bear expenses up to Rs 8,500 each for installation of solar panels in these places. A donor K S Ameer has borne the expenditure for installation of solar panels at the Meramajalu anganwadi centre.
Sheena Shetty, Jana Shikshana Trust director, said, “The campaign to install solar panels and make anganwadi centres self sufficient in energy will be a continuous process. There are around 1,700 anganwadi centres functioning in their own buildings. All anganwadi centres will be covered in the future.”
The director said, “In the first phase, anganwadi centres will be covered, after which, households will be motivated to go for renewable energy. The Trust has appealed to the Zilla Panchayat chief executive officer to install solar panels on the houses of SC/STs who do not have electricity connection, with the available funds of the government.”
Sheela, an anganwadi teacher at Arangadi, said, “The solar panel, to light two bulbs and a fan, has helped a lot in our anganwadi centre. The building was small and dark, without proper lighting facility. There was also no electricity connections. As a result, the children who attend the anganwadi centre suffered during peak summer. They would remove their shirts and sit in the room, unable to bear the heat. Now, the children are happy with the facility.”
Pushpalatha, another anganwadi teacher from Perlampady, said, “After the solar panel was installed, the children sleep in the anganwadi centre in the afternoon without any problem. They are happy with the fan facility in the centre. Looking at the benefit of solar energy, I have motivated workers at eight other anganwadi centres in Kolthige Gram Panchayat to go for solar energy connection.”
The solar power system provides free and clean energy and creates an environment-friendly system, she said.