<p class="bodytext">About 645 residents of a low-income neighbourhood in Uttarahalli now have access to electricity in their homes. The inhabitants of the area lived in complete darkness post sunset up until two months ago. </p>.<p class="bodytext">It is part of Project Chirag - Solar Village Initiative by Aahwahan Foundation, a Bengaluru-based NGO.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A total of 165 houses have been lit up through the initiative, which has installed solar panels for each home. Some of the residents have been living in the underserved community for 30 years. “The houses did not have concrete roofs. They were made from asbestos, tin or tarpaulin. So, we had to mount solar panels on poles near each home and instal wiring for each household,” explains Braja Kishore Pradhan, founder of the NGO. </p>.<p class="bodytext">The houses have been equipped with four LED lights (two 10W and two 5W), an 18W pedestal fan and mobile charging ports each. They are powered by a 150Wp solar panel, a 120Ah solar tubular battery, and a 10A charge controller. “With 48 hours of backup, families now have access to 3-4 hours of lighting and up to 8 hours of fan usage per cycle, depending on sunlight and consumption patterns,” he shares. </p>.<p class="bodytext">The team identified and prioritised houses with school-going children, senior citizens and pregnant women for the project. “We were shocked to learn that there were houses in Bengaluru with no electricity,” he recalls. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Forty-year-old Murali S, a construction worker, is one beneficiary of the scheme. He lives with his wife and two children. “Earlier, our kids would go to the temple nearby to do their homework by the temple lights. They do not have to do that anymore,” he says. The NGO also installed streetlights throughout the neighbourhood. “The lanes are not safe after dark. Sometimes we spot snakes in those lanes. The streetlights have made it easier to step out of the house at night,” he states. </p>
<p class="bodytext">About 645 residents of a low-income neighbourhood in Uttarahalli now have access to electricity in their homes. The inhabitants of the area lived in complete darkness post sunset up until two months ago. </p>.<p class="bodytext">It is part of Project Chirag - Solar Village Initiative by Aahwahan Foundation, a Bengaluru-based NGO.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A total of 165 houses have been lit up through the initiative, which has installed solar panels for each home. Some of the residents have been living in the underserved community for 30 years. “The houses did not have concrete roofs. They were made from asbestos, tin or tarpaulin. So, we had to mount solar panels on poles near each home and instal wiring for each household,” explains Braja Kishore Pradhan, founder of the NGO. </p>.<p class="bodytext">The houses have been equipped with four LED lights (two 10W and two 5W), an 18W pedestal fan and mobile charging ports each. They are powered by a 150Wp solar panel, a 120Ah solar tubular battery, and a 10A charge controller. “With 48 hours of backup, families now have access to 3-4 hours of lighting and up to 8 hours of fan usage per cycle, depending on sunlight and consumption patterns,” he shares. </p>.<p class="bodytext">The team identified and prioritised houses with school-going children, senior citizens and pregnant women for the project. “We were shocked to learn that there were houses in Bengaluru with no electricity,” he recalls. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Forty-year-old Murali S, a construction worker, is one beneficiary of the scheme. He lives with his wife and two children. “Earlier, our kids would go to the temple nearby to do their homework by the temple lights. They do not have to do that anymore,” he says. The NGO also installed streetlights throughout the neighbourhood. “The lanes are not safe after dark. Sometimes we spot snakes in those lanes. The streetlights have made it easier to step out of the house at night,” he states. </p>