Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, November 28 2010:
Villagers in the interior Thanlon sub-division of Churachandpur district got a relief when Manipur Renewable Energy Resource Development Agency (MANIREDA) provided solar home lighting systems to them.
Villagers treated the distribution of solar lamps by MANIREDA under the Remote Village Electrification Programme of the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy as a Christmas gift and expressed happiness of the efforts of the agency.
MANIREDA distributed the solar home lighting systems to six villages of Thanlon sub-division where there is no electricity supply.
A total of 203 solar home lighting systems and 21 solar street lighting sets with additional 24 home light systems for community or common place were also distributed.
Villagers of J Phaikholun, New Muntha, Nathialbok, Tangnuom, T Phaikholum and Pangen are the beneficiaries of the central sponsored programme taken up by MANIREDA with active co-ordination and support from the district administration.
The agency claimed that altogether 200 villages/hamlets mostly in difficult and remote areas of the state have so far been electrified through sources of renewable energy such as solar, wind, hydro, biomass and hybrid projects.
Thanlon Assembly Constituency MLA, V Hangkhalian, MANIREDA director L Manglem and Jarintha Lazarus attended as chief guest, president and guest of honour at the solar lighting system distribution function held today at Thanlon block headquarter of the district.
In his speech as chief guest of the function, MLA V Hangkhalian expressed happiness that MANIREDA which was established during his tenure as minister for Science and Technology has been able to reach the far off villages.
As the programme is being taken up for the development of backward villages, every body should extend support to the agency, he said.
The MLA also appealed to the villagers to use the solar lamps to light their homesteads asserting that some villagers have been found to sell such useful home lightings.