India's first fully solar village lights up the lives of poor residents
The Hindu
India aims to meet half of its energy demands from renewable sources, such as solar and wind, by 2030.
Kesa Bhai Prajapati beams with a smile as he moulds blocks of clay into jugs and vases on a potter's wheel.
These days, Prajapati, 68, from the village of Modhera in western India's Gujarat state, has doubled the amount of earthenware he makes compared to a few months ago since he no longer has to turn the wheel manually as he could not then afford high electricity bill that were up to 1,500 Indian rupees a month.
Now, however, his machine moves on solar power as earlier this month Prajapati's village of around 6,500 residents, consisting mainly of potters, tailors, farmers and shoemakers, was declared India's first village to run entirely on solar energy all the time.
"Electricity has helped us to save time and produce more products," Prajapati said.
India, the world's third-largest carbon dioxide emitter, aims to meet half of its energy demands from renewable sources, such as solar and wind, by 2030, a boost over its previous target of 40%, the government said it achieved in December 2021.
The project in Modhera, financed by the federal and provincial government at nearly $10 million, involved setting up over 1,300 rooftop panels on residential and government buildings that were connected to a power plant.
Also Read | Growing concern over unseasonal warm spell in Europe
Mahindra’s XEV 9S is a modern, family-focused electric SUV with premium design, a spacious tech-rich cabin, refined performance and advanced safety features. Discover variants, pricing and real-world impressions in our detailed review.
Samantha interview: On pickleball, her battles with a rare autoimmune condition and learnings
Experience the thrilling Akkulam Glass Bridge in Thiruvananthapuram, offering stunning views and adventure activities for all ages.
Climate scientists and advocates long held an optimistic belief that once impacts became undeniable, people and governments would act. This overestimated our collective response capacity while underestimating our psychological tendency to normalise, says Rachit Dubey, assistant professor at the department of communication, University of California.
Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla predicts a transformative decade for India’s space exploration and international collaboration.