They have generated 15 kilowatt of electricity from the local Deujar Khola at Siddhika VDC, around 34 kilometers far away from the district headquarters, Bharatpur.
Tilak Chepang, chairperson of micro hydropower project, said they have illuminated 50 households of Chepang producing electricity at the total cost of Rs. 800,000. Locals chipped in more than Rs. 500,000, VDC provided Rs. 250,000 and the District Development Committee gave Rs 50,000 to generate electricity, he said.
Chepangs are all happy to see the end of their dark days. "Earlier, we were living in virtual darkness. But those days are bygone days now," said Dal Bahadur Praja, a local Chepang.
According to Tilak, electricity is free of cost for now. "We will being in a policy and fix certain electricity charge soon."
Construction of the micro hydropower project was completed in three months and it can light up 125 houses.
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