SHILLONG: The state government is working on a creative and sustainable way of lighting up rural households through a cost-effective and simple method called hydroger.
Informing this, State Programme Implementation and Monitoring Committee chairman Saleng Sangma said after the success of the pilot project in Mawkyrwat, the committee, through the Soil and Water Department, is proposing 2,000 hydrogers covering over 2,000 villagers.
With one hydroger in a village, 50 households can get electricity.
A hydroger is a big dynamo-type generator of electricity that can produce power at an installed capacity of 3 and 5 kilowatts from water running down a stream.
Terming it as a “revolution”, Sangma said if hydrogers can be installed in 2,000 villages it would provide electricity to one lakh villagers.
He informed that he will be inaugurating one of the hydroger projects soon. “Hydroger is a blessing for BPL families because it is cost-effective and eco friendly,” he added.
Around Rs 5 lakh is needed for a unit of the hydroger to function and if the idea materialises, the menace of power theft can be addressed to a great extent, Sangma explained.
Pico hydro units, or hydrogers, provide energy required for lighting up wayside amenities, milk chilling plant and poultry farms at zero percent maintenance.
Besides, the department has also proposed a cable car project in Mawkyrwat and Sangma feels that if this project sees through, tourism will grow in leaps and bounds.
