21 December,2010 06:56 AM IST | | Varun Singh
Solar energy comes to the rescue of a tiny hamlet just 12 km off Mumbai, which was in darkness all these years since Independence
It's hardly 12 km from Mumbai, India's commercial capital and it's most developed city, but the island village of Gharapur has been without electricity since Independence. This is, except for three hours in one day, since the last three years, thanks to diesel generators.
Energy
Now though, a tiny hamlet named Mora Bandar within Gharapur, comprising 25 houses finally got electricity that people can use at any point of time. This electricity is from solar energy panels set up by an Australian company along with the MMRDA.
Elephanta
MiD DAY travelled to this village, which is barely a five-minute walk from the Elephanta Caves jetty to discover that while the people there are using cell phones that have Mumbai network and connections, they have been deprived of electricity for more than six decades.
Watery
There were many media cameramen who were trying to get pictures and manyu00a0 videographers who shone their focus lights on the villagers. The eyes of so many villagers turned red and watery because of the sudden light. Suman Bhuvad, whose house was at the entrance of the village, was the first affected. She appeared happy but her eyes were continually watery. "I am fine, just not used to such heavy, focus lights," she told this reporter.
Brides
Living in darkness has had huge ramifications in all aspects of the villagers lives. Chandrakant Hamine had to wait for nearly five to six years to get a bride. Girls would refuse to marry young, eligible bachelors when they heard that the village had no electricity.
"For us, finding a bride was always difficult. The momentu00a0 people heard our problem we were turned down," said Chandrakant. Chandrakant then found Supriya who had spent her entire life in a city like Thane where she never knew what darkness was.
For Supriya, it was especially challenging to cook in the dark. Incidentally, most of the women married to men in this village are from Mumbai and places where they never had to live in perpetual darkness.
Life's challenges without electricity
Sunset
For the past three years, they get diesel powered generator electricity for three hours in a day. But before this, the villagers used to eat before sunset. However, for the past few years they first switch on the television at 7 pm, eat and go to sleep before 10 pm. These are the three hours when they get electricity and payu00a0 Rs 150 every month for it. The favourite serial of most of theu00a0 villagers is Jhansi Ki Rani. Maybe, they are hoping for a leader like her to create a revolution that would give them electricity for 24 hours.
Loopholes
Even with solar panels, there is happiness mixed with skepticism. The doubt is justified because these villagers enjoyed 24 hours electricity for nearly three years in the 1990s with solar panels. Those panels are now
lying moribund. So, these people are skeptical about whether these new solar panels will work once the batteries dry up.
"I fear these batteries would also not be replaced like the earlier ones. We have been provided with five tubes now that will glow, but then TV and fans won't work on them," said Janardan Panchal, echoing the reservations of most residents.
Dashed
Most people bought television sets here on loan thinking that they would be able to watch TV. "Now, their dreams have been dashed as televisions do not work on these solar panels," finished A R Gote, another resident.
