The solar lamps are charged during the day and rented out in the evening to vendors in Chhola bazaar for Rs.8 for each lamp for 5 hours. Apart from generating Rs.900 per month for each of the youngsters in the initial phase of the business, this venture will help replace petromax and lead-acid battery lanterns with clean, renewable energy based lanterns. “Sunmin”, a Chennai-based organisation is already running a similar income-generation project successfully on Chennai beaches.
“Our group was formed to give voice to the demands of the orphans of the disaster and income generation is a key demand for us. We are confident that we will be able to run this environment friendly income generation project and some of us will be able to earn some steady income. More importantly, it will give us the wherewithal to continue with our struggle for economic rehabilitation by the government.” said Shahid Noor of Bhopal ki Awaz.
According to Vinuta Gopal of Greenpeace-India, “ Though the solar lantern project is small compared to the enormity of the problem of joblessness among the survivors, the Chirag project will hopefully make the state and central governments take note of the urgent need for economic rehabilitation.”
Champa Devi Shukla, Secretary of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmchari Sangh and winner of the International Goldman Environmental Prize this year, said “We have made plans for several other income generating environment-friendly projects and are currently gathering resources and setting up the infrastructure for their implementation. Hopefully, by December we will have more good news for Bhopal survivors.”
Please visit www.bhopal.net for more information on the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal.
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