PUNE: Manat village located in Varandha ghat was electrified for the first time since Independence on April 17 under the Deendayal Upadhyay Gram Jyoti Yojana.

The only source of light after sunset, for the 150 villagers residing there used to be kerosene lamps. “We used to get light from kerosene lamps and had to trek 4-5km to Durgadi village to get the fuel. Thanks to the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL), our children will be able to study properly now,” said a villager, Laxman Hirwe.

As the village is at the foothill of Manmohangad, about 58km from Bhor, there is no proper road to reach there. MSEDCL decided to electrify the village and started work some months ago.

“The basic infrastructure had to be created to take electricity up to the village. We installed 63 poles of high tension cables and another 69 of low tension cables. We had to string about 9km of supply cables. A 100KVA transformer had to be installed in the village,” a statement issued by the distribution company said. The statement further added that electricity connection had been given to all the 14 families residing there.

Taking the poles and transformer up to the village was no mean task. “Workers were engaged to physically carry them on their shoulders. The transformer was taken in a bolluck cart but even that could not reach the village because of lack of road. Iron wheels were fitted to the transformer and it was wheeled into the village. All these required two months,” the statement said.

A team headed by Nagnath Irwadkar, chief engineer of Baramati zone, superintending engineers Dattatreya Padalkar and Bhausaheb Iware, executive engineer Keshav Kalumali, chief technician Ashok Kurhade and others completed the project.