Light years behind

Calcutta, March 6: Finally, light in the heart of darkness.

Work to bring electricity to 15 villages in the 20 Sunderbans islands is finally set to begin ? next month.

“The money from the Union ministry of non-conventional energy should come by March 31. We will start work immediately,” said S.P. Gonchowdhury, the director of West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency, which is implementing the project.

This would be Phase I of a larger project aimed at providing electricity to all islands across five blocks ? Sandeshkhali II, Gosaba, Patharpratima, Namkhana and Sagar.

Over 100,000 households and a population of more than five lakh would benefit.

“Phase I, which should be completed in six months, would cost Rs 40 crore. The Centre is providing Rs 36 crore and the state the rest,” Gonchowdhury said. The total project cost is around Rs 200 crore.

The agency had assigned the task of developing the master plan to Delhi-based NGO The Energy Research Institute (TERI). “The Sunderbans are unique for the possibilities of economically viable, renewable energy models,” said Sameer Maithel, its director of energy-environment technology.

The NGO conducted a survey with the Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management among households and shops in the Sunderbans for six months and used the findings as inputs for the final plan.

“We assessed the requirements and resources and space available for the power plant,” Maithel said.

The plants would convert solar power, biomass and wind into electricity.