ERODE : A group of volunteers has started installing new modern solar panels in Kathirimalai, a tribal village situated at an elevation of 3,600 feet inside the Chennampatti forest range in Erode, which till now has no electricity as most of the existing solar panels failed.
Around 82 families belonging to Solaga community reside here. The village can be reached after trekking for four hours from the foothills at Kathiripatti in Kolathur block of Salem district. In the absence of road connectivity, people have to reach Kathiripatti and proceed to Kolathur to purchase essential commodities. Only solar panels light up the households. The solar panels are a temporary measure and the villagers are expecting permanent electricity connection soon.
C Sathish, founder of Tree People Charitable Trust of Sathyamangalam, said, “We are providing solar panels with five years warranty, to each house at a cost of Rs 28,000. The panels can power three lights, fan and also charge mobile phone. In the first phase, we gave solar panels to 25 houses on Monday. We have given priority to houses in village boundaries. We hope to install panels in all 82 homes within a few weeks. Lodge Satsang Trust from Chennai, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology of Erode are supporting us in this initiative.”
E Rathinasamy, the village representative, said, “A festival will be held in our village temple next Sunday. It is gratifying that most of the houses would have got lights by then.”
A Babu, VAO of Bargur, said, “Only a few of the solar lights already installed are operational. Around 15 places in the village have solar powered street lights. But only a few of them light up. The act of volunteers will be a temporary solution for the villagers. They have also assured to repair the existing solar systems. It may take more than six months to give electricity connection to the village.”