KARIMNAGAR: Despite various measures being taken by both the Central and State governments, at least seven districts in Telangana are still dealing with the menace of Left Wing Extremism (LWE).
However, it is certain that this fact is no longer going to raise any eyebrows as the scenario has been the same for the past several years.
From living in the grip of fear that the Maoists could trap them any day to being stuck in villages which rarely witness developmental activities, people of LWE-affected areas have been a struggling lot.
It is at a time like this that the Telangana New and Renewable Energy Development Corporation Limited (TNREDCL) has come forward with various initiatives which could presumably help the budding minds in such villages get a new lease of life.
In one such initiative, which was envisioned by the Central government to improve the living standards of those living in LWE-affected areas while helping them reduce power charges, the TNREDCL will soon start distributing solar-powered LED lamps to Class 10 students for a very low cost.
The TNREDCL officials have decided to implement this scheme in Peddapalli which is the lone LWE-affected district in erstwhile Karimnagar, as well.
To cost Rs 70 as against Rs 415
TNREDCL district manager A Shyamal says that though such solar-powered LED lamps actually cost around Rs 415, the Corporation officials will provide it to students for a meagre cost of Rs 70 per lamp. Students of both government and private schools will be eligible to buy these lamps.
“We organised a programme on the need to conserve energy and the benefits of using solar-powered devices at various schools in the district around two years ago. At that time, we received an overwhelming response from both students and teachers. Keeping this in mind, we recently contacted the District Educational Officer (DEO) and informed that such solar-powered lamps are ready for sale on first-come-first-serve basis. Much to our surprise, around 1,000 students in Peddapalli have already placed orders for the lamps,” Shyamal said.
Implement in other rural areas too: Politicos
Students have to submit an application, along with which they have to enclose a copy of their student ID card and that of their parents’ Aadhaar cards, to purchase the lamps.
The applications should be forwarded to the TNREDCL through the head of the institute. Meanwhile, the officials are contemplating to implement the scheme in other LWE-affected districts such as Adilabad, Kothagudem, Bhupalpally, Khammam, Asifabad, Mancherial, and Warangal (Rural).
In the meantime, some public representatives have come forward requesting the Central government to extend the scheme and implement it in other rural areas as well to promote education.