In a bid to promote alternative and renewable energy sources at the community level, the Tata Steel Rural Development Society (TSRDS) has firmed up plans for installing solar street lighting systems at Joda, Kalinga Nagar, Bamnipal and Gopalpur regions.
The society has already installed more than 300 solar street lights in different locations under the regions, while plans are afoot to add about 700 more in the near future.
At Kalinga Nagar, where Tata Steel is setting up its 6 million tonne steel plant, 60 solar street lights have been installed benefiting people in 37 villages. About 200 more are proposed to be installed in the area. In Gopalpur region, 210 solar lights have been installed in villages spread over Chhatrapur and Rangeilunda blocks of Ganjam district.
Solar street lights have also been installed in 14 villages of Banipal area in Keonjhar district benefiting 280 households. Twentyfive more villages in the region would be included under the solar street lighting programme soon. Another 212 lights are in the process of being installed at Sukinda, along with 267 in tribal and remote areas around Joda, a company release stated.