Solar plants lighting up Mithapukur homes
Solar plants have come as a blessing for the people in 17 unions of Rangpur district's Mithapukur upazila, with as many as 185 educational institutions, 1050 religious places, 64 community clinics and hundreds of houses enjoying the benefits of solar power connection.
Buyers and customers at Shathibarir Sarak, the largest ‘haat’ (local market) in the area, can now do their shopping even at night as well.
Mithapukur upazila is located near the Dhaka-Rangpur highway, 15 kilometres south of Rangpur city. Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL) under TR/KABITA of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief (MoDMR) runs the project. IDCOL’s partner organisation Rural Services Foundation(RSF) started implementing the project from 2015-16.
Although the project was expected to be completed in 2023, 95 per cent of the work has been finished already. A total of 3,557 solar plants have been installed with government funds of Tk 200 million so far.
RSF’s area field operations manager in Rangpur Akhter Hossain told Prothom Alo that the project is running with the aim to meet the needs of electricity in various institutions and organisations and houses in the area.
The population of Mithapukur upazila is approximately 550,000. Project officials said that more than 100,000 families in the upazila are now getting direct or indirect benefits of solar power. Solar electricity covers 185 educational institutions including school, college and madrasa. Solar power is also available in 1,050 religious places including mosque and temples. Solar power is also available in the community clinics in remote areas of the upazila. Two shelter projects in the upazila, graveyard and crematoriums have been lit with solar power.
Mesbahur Rahman, principal of Shatbari Degree College, said that apart from sadar upazila, solar power plants have been set up in remote villages.
“People are now able to move easily at night as the roads have lights now,” he added.
As many as 947 lamp posts have been installed on different roads in the upazila. The Phulbari highway from Sadar upazila to Barapukuria was not safe earlier. Mugging and accidents were very common on the highway. The problem is now solved because of the solar street lights.
Solar panels have also been installed at 1,100 houses who cannot afford electricity. More than 22,000 families are now able to cook with smokeless eco-friendly oven.
Abul Kashem, a resident of Kazipara village of the upazila, said, " We had to use kerosene lamp. Now the government has made our home light up.”
The solar power has covered all the 58 local markets in the area. Also, 400 lamp posts have been installed on the roads.
Mithapukur Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Mamun Bhuiyan said that solar power have reached about 95 per cent of the area.
If the project is fully implemented, it will have a significant impact on the economy of the area, he added.