Fakim village in Pungro sub-division under Kiphire district has been declared the first complete LED light village, while the villagers pledged to use natural light, paint home interior into white, use energy efficient CFL, LED and solar charged light and switch off lights when not in use to save electricity.
 

Deputy Commissioner, Kiphire, Chumremo Odyuo, officially declared during special Easter Sunday service celebration. Chumremo Odyuo shared his thoughts on saving electricity by adopting energy efficient and eco-friendly technology like Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs and solar lamps. He also exhorted the villagers to follow the example of Christ and to bring a change in their lives for the common good of the society.
 

SDO (C) Kiphire, Lankonsen, shared about the resurrection of Christ and bringing light in the world. He further impressed upon the villagers that Fakim village being the first complete LED powered village should also spread the message of good light to others.

Later, all the villagers submitted their traditional 100 watt tungsten bulbs to the Deputy Commissioner and received 15 watt LED bulbs making Fakim as the first complete LED light village in Nagaland. The village council also resolved to ban use of tungsten light.

Considering that the use of LED bulbs with solar lamp could save around 90% of electricity consumption for domestic lighting, the village council submitted representation to Daniel Yimchunger, Junior Engineer of Electricity Department for giving an equivalent concession on community electricity bill.

In the programme, Kiusang Yimchunger administered the pledge to all the villagers to use natural light, paint home interior into white/bright, use energy efficient CFL, LED and solar charged light, switch off lights when not in use to save electricity and requested the villagers to spread this message to their family, friends and relatives.

The programme concluded with formal inauguration of signboard by Deputy Commissioner which read “Fakim – First complete LED light village”.

Special service was led by Ningtsuki, pastor of Fakim Baptist Church. Programme was attended by Chonpenthung Ezung, EAC Pungro, Haiding, Assistant Commandant of 11 NAP (IR), D Company.

In a related programme, Lansothung Lotha, Range Forest Officer, and John Yimchunger, Forest Guard, participated in the special Easter church service in Thanamir and Vongtsuvong villages respectively and distributed solar charged lamps to every household.

Kamdi Hemant Bhaskar, Wildlife Warden, Kiphire Wildlife Division, thanked Yatendra Agraval, Trustee of Eco Solutions, Mumbai, for providing all the material and technical help. The NGO has been tirelessly working for rural lighting and other eco-friendly technologies.

So far they have distributed 7000 solar lamps in Nagaland alone and is ready for expansion of the same along with Terafil (low cost water filters) technology for iron contaminated areas in other parts of Nagaland. He also appealed to other government departments to replicate similar programme for common good.

It may be mentioned here that Pungro subdivision is situated near Indo-Myanmar border in the remotest eastern part of Nagaland under Kiphire district. In Pungro sub-division, there are 42 remotely located villages, some even without road and electricity.

The power department low on manpower and resources often faces problems in dealing with issues like load shedding and frequent power cuts and the worst sufferer are the common people and students in particular who often loose crucial study hours without light.

Owing to these problems, Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change took up the initiative with the help of district administration and Power department in organising a programme during special Easter Sunday service celebration around the three fringe area villages of Fakim Wildlife Sanctuary for distribution of eco friendly materials and to disseminate the information about the benefits of using eco-friendly technology like LED bulbs and solar lamps.

LED bulbs are long lasting (20 years with 8 hrs/day use), energy efficient (80-90%), eco-friendly (no mercury, 100% recyclable), durable in quality and could withstand roughest condition even during low and fluctuating voltage.

Likewise solar lights are boon in rural area. It could extend working hours and are health friendly unlike kerosene lamp and reduce risk of fire incident particularly in wooden houses of rural area, improves literacy rate, saves energy, reduce maintenance and helps in controlling local pollution and climate change.

In the initial stage switching to LED and solar technology might cost more but within one year the investment could be recovered since the power consumption would be reduced and this technology are more durable.

Source: Eastern Mirror