People can get uninterrupted power supply for Rs200 per month in Brashmanal, a far-flung village in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Buner District.
Shaukat Hussain, a 30-year-old resident of the same village, deserves praise for this cost-effective approach. He cleverly invested Rs100,000 to build a hydroelectric power plant in his hamlet.
The community has avoided the electricity problems that afflict most of the nation despite its isolated position and a lack of certain basic amenities.
Even though they are not linked to the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) grid, the people of Brashmanal are unconcerned.
A local newspaper quoted a resident as saying, “Our community is remote, but we’ve managed to replace the gloom with brilliant lights. It just costs Rs200 each month and is dependable and inexpensive.”
The 100 families’ income is utilised to pay for the upkeep of the plant. “We started this project to help our villagers save money on electricity,” Hussain said. It is not practical to give it away for free because of expenditure on maintenance.
The hydropower plant also powers a mill that makes flour, which helps the neighbourhood even more.
Hussain believes that with government assistance, more of these small hydropower plants may be built.
