Daijiworld Media Network – Puttur(MS)

Puttur, Dec 12: Aryapu gram panchayat in the taluk of Puttur is on the verge of becoming self-reliant with respect to electricity usage. The gram panchayat is saving around Rs 50000 in the first phase of the solar project.

Solar pump set is installed to supply drinking water to 165 houses of the gram panchayat. The gram panchayat building runs on solar energy. Street lights are lighting on solar power. In a government school even a smart class run on solar energy has begun. The man behind this reform was Nagesh M, who was the panchayat development office of Aryapu. Recently he is transferred to Venur.

Nagesh was successful in beginning to supply drinking water through solar operated pump in 2020 when he was PDO of Madanthyar. That was the first attempt in Karnataka by any gram panchayat. Later he continued the same at Aryapu village. After Nagesh assumed the charge as Aryapu PDO, he installed solar pump in the funds provided under 14th finance commission and resolved the acute water issues of 85 houses of Kolya area.

Later, Nagesh got solar pump installed to 82 houses at Kallarpe. That is also functioning properly. He has planned solar energy system for Ajalady of Kuriya village. Before installing solar pump set, Kollya and Kallarpe used to get Rs 18000 to 20000 electricity bill per month. Now they get minimum bill of Rs 500.

Solar energy run smart class room is installed in Santyaru government primary school of Aryapu gram panchayat. All the equipment in this are operated through solar energy. In addition, solar panels are fixed on the roof of gram panchayat office building. Timer is installed for street lights to be put on and off at proper time. By all this steps, Aryapu gram panchayat is saving more than Rs 50000 electricity bill per month.

At present there are 27 drinking water pump houses in Aryapu village. Already two are running on solar energy. The government has given special permission to install solar pump set to eight more plants under Jaljeevan mission.