Cook electric
Practical Action
Every family contributed labour to the project. This was
vital not just for financial viability, but to make sure that
the scheme was sustainable and that there was a sense of
village-wide ownership. In return, each house was
guaranteed electric light and the chance to subscribe to
more power for cooking if they wished.
Labour contributions included porterage of materials,
construction of the power house and civil works (the
channels and tanks that the water flows through), and
installation of machinery and transmission lines.
Figure 12: Bijuli dekchi in the
kitchen.
Impact
Ghandruk's micro-hydro now supplies every house
in the village with electric light. Only 18 per cent
of the households can afford to subscribe to
electricity for cooking, and tourist lodges alone use
one third of the available power. But the higher
tariff rate paid by the lodges means that poorer
families benefit from cheaper electricity. In this
way, the income from tourism is spread more
widely among the community.
Before the hydro scheme, families used between one and five litres of kerosene a month
for lighting. To run one 25 watt bulb instead costs two thirds of the price of a litre of
kerosene. As well as being cheaper, electricity provides better quality lighting, making it
easier to do homework. Some children may not see this as a gain!
Lighting is not the only benefit of the scheme for poorer families. Many also save money on
batteries for their radios and torches. Although radio and television are luxury items, their
importance to rural communities should not be underestimated. Not only can they play an
educational role, but access to such media can be influential in preventing the flood of
youngsters to the towns and cities.
Similarly, the growth of economic activities made possible through the availability of electricity
is increasingly important for rural development. In Ghandruk, power from the scheme is used to
run a grain mill, which is many times more efficient than the traditional ghattas. A small bakery
is being established as well.
Electric cooking in Ghandruk
Most families cook with
an agenu, a metal tripod
placed in the hearth,
and a chulo or traditional
clay stove. Since electric
cooking requires some
adaptation of traditional
cooking methods, ACAP
recognized the need to
promote electric cookers
actively and offer advice
on how to install and use
them.
Figure 13: Heat storage cooker, with both hobs in use.
A revolving fund was set
up to provide subsidies on
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