Introduction

Access to Electricity has created a revolution and transformed the life of the modern man. We cannot imagine how life would be without electricity. Our day to day life and normal mundane activities depend on it and life and work would come to a standstill for many of if it is not available even for a day. One of the important purposes that electricity fulfills is the lighting needs of man. We have huge billboards that are neon lit the whole night on the strategic places in roads and buildings consuming enormous amounts of power. At the same time we have millions of poor households without access to electricity or any other easily available and affordable source to meet their lighting needs. The energy sources of the poor are inefficient, polluting and unhealthy. Per unit of emitted light or heat, the poor pay higher prices than the rich, including the time they spend obtaining or collecting fuel. The poor pay higher unit prices for energy in small amounts: items such as batteries, battery recharging, candles, kerosene and charcoal.

Fuel based lighting is the most common source of energy for poor in rural and tribal areas. Fuel-based lighting is inefficient, expensive, dangerous, and unhealthy. Women travel long distance to procure kerosene and wood. The efficiency of fuel based light production is very low. The result is a substantial amount of fuel used with poor lighting received in return. Fuel based lighting is often inadequate for the students to do home works after daylight hours.

Kerosene lamps are a safety risk. Many families cannot afford a proper lamp and rely on a fragile glass bottle with a piece of rope as a wick. Fuel based lighting has more probability of causing fires, than all other forms of electric lighting. Light from kerosene lamps is poor and inefficient. Poor lighting affects literacy and education.

Karupayee aged 58, Kalanjiam member of Theppathupatti says "I have to finish dinner before 4.00 p.m. Otherwise it is not possible. At night if any insects fall in the food, we may have to eat the insect or step on them in the dark. There is no other way. There is also a social face of this problem. She continues saying, “Our guests too have to suffer from the insects. On return they comment "Alas! We had gone to their house. It was full of insects. Even in these modern days they don't have electricity." click here to see the film

The light from the lamps is so poor that children are unable to read and write. The health effects of fuel based lighting are serious and debilitating. Because many homes are unventilated, fuel based lighting poses a serious health hazard, commonly causing respiratory, and eye problems. The burning of kerosene lamps causes eye, nose and throat irritation. Kerosene is an expensive source of light. One lamp consumes 1 litre of kerosene per week. One liter of kerosene cost Rs.9 if people buy from the ration shop. In a month, people consume 4-5 litres of kerosene for lighting.

Ragini Devi aged 16, of Nadakottai village says " I’m in Std. XII and will appear for public examinations this year which will decide my future.I had to study for long hours but I couldn’t.There is no electricity in my house.I was scoring well when we were in my grandma’s house which has electricity connection. But not so now.I would study well if we have electric light in our house.I couldn’t concentrate in my studies with the kerosene lamp…it’s so suffocating; eyes are paining followed with severe headache. I have to become a nurse.Yes! I have to take care of my mother well." click here to see the film

Electricity is the cost-effective energy source for lighting in rural areas. It is the cheapest source of energy available for poor with low recurring cost (Rs.40 bi-monthly for rural areas in TamilNadu). Providing electricity through grids is feasible in almost all the villages in many parts of India. People in rural areas living without electricity want electricity to light their houses and to power their radios. There is still a large demand for electricity and an ability to pay for the service among the poor in rural areas provided the initial cost for connection is made into small installments.

The major issues in rural electrification are lack of affordability by the poor of the one time investment cost of obtaining the connection, difficulty in dealing with the different agencies and their procedures for obtaining the connection, lack of infrastructure such as transformers and electric poles when the households are scattered or remote, not on their priority list as they have more pressing and urgent needs to attend to.

Light a Home