SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2024
MARCOS GONSALVES
MARGAO: Inspired by the historic words ‘ask not what your country can do for you-ask what you can do for your country’, a small village of Salcete, Camurlim has proved beyond doubt that the sun shines when you work hard, quite literally.
The Solar-Power Project, which faced strong opposition in the initial stages is now setting a perfect example for the whole State of Goa, as the Village Panchayat Camurlim led by an active Sarpanch Basilio Fernandes has achieved great success in becoming Goa's first solar-powered panchayat.
In the last two years of time, since the installation of the solar panels under the project; the panchayat has not just saved money on power bills but earned nearly 5 lakh on the electricity that has been generated by the solar power project over here.
Camurlim is paying zero power bills for the last two years.
This small panchayat of seven panch members fully runs on the electricity generated through solar power projects. That's not all; the panchayat earns thousands of rupees per month as the unused electricity is sold to the Electricity Department.
The youth from the village are happy as they can use the ground that has been illuminated through the electricity generated by the same solar power project.
"Initially, I had to face strong objections from a section of the people from the village in order to push for this solar power project. Today, the panchayat has proved that natural resources can be a perfect way for self-sustainability,” said Sarpanch Basilio Fernandes
"Today, we have even noticed that the youth from the village are happy as they can come and play on the ground as it has been illuminated by utilising the electricity generated from the solar power project", said Fernandes.
"Annually we save nearly Rs 1.5 lakh on the electricity bills and on the other hand other departments of the government pay us an equal amount on the electricity they utilise from the solar power project of the panchayat", said the sarpanch.
He said that years back he had installed a solar heater at his house and that was the turning point he thought of the solar project for the panchayat.
Former MP Narendra Sawaikar, who had facilitated the solar project in Camurlim said “The Camurlim panchayat is paying zero bills on the electricity. Now, it is high time that other panchayats of Goa take steps forward in having such solar power projects".
