Rajesh Kumar behera in Kendrapara, Orissa
Neither the villagers of Ahirajpur under Rajnagar block of Kendrapara district ever had got an opportunity to see the blockbusters of Shah Rukh Khan nor did majority of them properly pronounce Shah Rukh khan. But now the villagers from six to sixty years of age have become the fan of bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan as the King Khan shown generosity to the villagers by providing them light to overcome the darkness of the night under the Solar energy harnessing project .
The Ahirajpur village hogged the limelight recently ad it has come under solar energy harnessing project funded by the matinee idol. If King Khan would have not contributed ,then Ahirajpur would have still remained shrouded in darkness.
Khan had fully funded the project and The Energy & Research Institute (TERI) implemented the solar energy harnessing project as part of NDTV s Greenathon initiative titled ‘Light a Billion Lives’, said Biraja Prasad Pati, the local coordinator of the project.
“It’s long cherished dream that comes true for residents of this perennially coastal village only due to king Khan and his Samaritan’s attitude. Earlier , the life was coming to standstill after the day break as kerosene lantern was the only medium that was with them to illuminate the households after dusk But now ,they are lighting the solar energy to overcome the night’s darkness.
Through harnessing solar energy, recharging station has been installed in the heart of the village. The villagers take home the cost-effective solar lantern after paying users’ fees of Rs. 3 towards charging.The village has about 100 households with its population closer to 500. Most of them are Bengali-speaking people inhabited village. Agriculture and fisheries are their means source of collecting bread and butter..
A charging station is installed at the village where villagers throng after daybreak and get their batteries charged at an amount ranging from Rs 3 to Rs 5. The regular consumers are being charged Rs 3 while occasional users pay Rs 5 towards charging fees, added Pati .
“We owe our gratitude to Shah Rukh. Many had never heard of him. But after the project got underway, locals have now become curious to know more about him”, narrated Tapas Mandal, the village ward member.
The project has changed the lives of the inhabitants. There was little hope of this village getting electrified by government agencies. The solar lamps are benefiting the women and school children the most, added villagers
Apart from Ahirajpur, Shah Rukh Khan has helped illumination of two other villages-Jadapala & Tarajodi- under Mayurbhanj district.
