Flicker of solar light in Chhattisgarh

CFL's lit again in Sukhwanti Bai's house, deba village Read full story: Hope flickers Photograph by: Surya Sen      

Flicker of solar light in Chhattisgarh

Bringing light back to Deba villlage - Cluster technicians Read full story: Hope flickers Photograph by: Surya Sen      

Flicker of solar light in Chhattisgarh

A micro-power plant in barnawapara sanctuary Read full story: Hope flickers Photograph by: Surya Sen      

Flicker of solar light in Chhattisgarh

3 year old jiten has seen black out for the first time in Deba village Read full story: Hope flickers Photograph by: Surya Sen      

Flicker of solar light in Chhattisgarh

Revti Bai of Kalaar Baahra village in Barnawapara sanctuary gets only 3 hours of electricity because those with TV are consuming most of the micro-grid electricity Read full story: Hope flickers Photograph by: Surya Sen      

Flicker of solar light in Chhattisgarh

Syam Bai's grandson bought her a separate solar panel for her to watch TV Read full story: Hope flickers Photograph by: Surya Sen    

Jabarra says no to the grid

National grid reached Jabarra, a hamlet in Dhamtari district last year. But residents refuse to avail the connection. They are content with the 5kW solar power plant installed in there hamlet in 2004 under the remote village electrification scheme of the Centre.

Hope flickers

Tucked away in the Barnawapara wildlife sanctuary of Chhattisgarh is a small village, Deba. The national power grid is yet to reach there. But there is no interruption in the scheduled power supply to its 75 households. While power cuts are frequent in grid-connected villages across the state, the only time Deba residents experienced a blackout since they started receiving electricity some seven years ago was in October last year.

Thumb press

Chhattisgarh’s tribal population is beginning to get a taste of free press. They have a news service that informs them about events that concern them but rarely find mention in the mainstream media because of the state’s Special Public Security Act of 2005. The law operates as a gag order on journalists.

‘Bread, freedom vital’

“It’s a question of freedom. Bread and freedom both are important and people must go back to their homes,” said a Supreme Court bench on January 17. It was hearing a petition seeking an independent committee to rehabilitate 40,000 tribals in Chhattisgarh, caught in the crossfire between Maoists and Salwa Judum, the state’s counterinsurgency campaign.