Visually challenged BPL girls get solar lights

For Mamata from Ranebennur in Haveri, a solarpowered lantern at home would mean her parents could save money on kerosene every month.

“The sun can now light up our house even at night,” said Mamata, a seventh standard student. She was one of the 50 visually challenged girls across the state who were gifted with ‘cosmic illuminators’ by the Members of Nightingale Elders Enrichment Centre (NEEC), Malleswaram, at the Teachers’ Day celebrations held here on Wednesday.

The programme organisers said the cosmic illuminators are solar photovoltaic modules with a lamp. It comes with a multi-pin cellphone charger.

The immediate benefit of lighting up the 50 solar lamps in rural shelters would save on annual foreign exchange kerosene subsidy of Rs 57,600.

Girls belonging to below poverty line (BPL) families with partial or total visual impairment in Chikkballapur, Doddballapur, Bellary and other places were awarded, said Radhakrishna Kalawar, a resident of Malleswaram and a retired engineer from Railways.