Free solar panels: 3,500 families in shoals get electricity at Kurigram char

PATUAKHALI: Students of Patuakhali Govt College brought out a procession demanding drug free campus recently.
PATUAKHALI: Students of Patuakhali Govt College brought out a procession demanding drug free campus recently.
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UNB, Kurigram :
Electricity was an illusion to the people of Nageshwari upazila’s char areas (people living in the shoals) since their geographic location meant electric connection was unmanageable.
After twilight, all of the residents had to complete their activities with candle or lamp light. Even students had to continue their study under the gloomy light there.
But after getting free solar panels from the government the reality of dimness changed into light this year.
In fiscal year 2017-2018, government distributed at least 1,677 solar panels under its TR and KaBiKha projects among 3,500 families of Nageshwari upazila costing more than Tk 2.96 crore.
With this initiative, the life style of the people got remarkably changed. Residents of the area were now able to use electronic devices such as fans, reregisters, lights, and computers while students got the opportunity to study using electric lights.
In the upazila there are at least 16 rivers with 4,500 chars where nearly five lakh people dwell. Previously they were deprived of electric connections as electric pillars could not be set-up there for geographic reasons, Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sankar Kumar Bishwas told UNB.

However, upazila’s Bamandanga union chairman Amjad Hossain Bepari said “The life of the people has changed after getting the facilities from the government.”

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