Shah Rukh Khan lights up seven Orissa villages

Remember the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Swades, where lead protagonist Mohan Bhargava, an NRI working in NASA, returns to his former nanny's village in India and resolves the irregular electricity problem by setting up a hydro power plant. In a case of real life imitating reel life, Khan has lighted up seven remote coastal villages in Orissa by funding a solar electricity project.

The effort has dramatically changed the lives of the people of Ahriajpur, Banhipal, Okilapala, Palachua, Rangani, Denlasahi and Gupti villages in Kendrapara district, about 150 km from here. Each village has a population of 500 people and most of them fall in the below poverty line bracket. They mostly depend on fishing and agriculture for their livelihood. For the villagers, Khan is a messiah.

The rural electrification project used solar energy to produce electricity. Khan funded the project under the NDTV's Greenathon initiative titled 'Light a Billion Lives'. The project was implemented by The Energy & Research Institute (TERI).

Local coordinator of the project Biraja Prasad Pati said, "Can you imagine even after 61 years of Independence, they did not have electricity. But the project changed their lives.

Once dusk sets in, they all rush back to their houses and savour the pleasure of having electricity at home. Can you imagine even after 61 years of Independence, they did not have electricity," he said. Earlier, kerosene lanterns were the only source of light.

Now, the villagers have been provided with solar lanterns. "Life now starts after sun set," Pati said, adding that villagers had taken the cost-effective solar lanterns after paying the users' fees of Rs3 towards charging.But occasional users pay Rs5 by way of charging fees.

A recharging station has been installed in each village. Solar panels have also been set on rooftops to allow villagers to charge their lanterns every morning. "Now people are happy and know more about Khan," said local ward member Tapas Mandal.Ironically, the state government is clueless about the project.