An Australian company lighting India’s slums with solar energy is providing a solution to the problem of deadly air pollution in India’s poorest areas, a media report said on Tuesday.
Pollinate Energy, a company founded by five Australians, is changing the way the people in Indian slums use light in the night.
Its portable solar lamp, with a port to charge a mobile phone, has replaced dirty kerosene lamps in 8,000 homes, ABC reported.
According to the company, indoor air pollution from kerosene lamps and stoves are the second leading cause of death in the world’s second most populous country, making the Australian lamp a potential game changer.
Pollinate Energy employs locals to go tent to tent to sell the solar lights. The lights cost about 30 Australian dollars ($23)each.
The company allows the customers to pay in instalments.
It has sold over 7,000 lights in Bengaluru and is expanding to two more Indian cities.
“Bangalore, the city that we started in, was the first city in India to become electrified over 100 years ago and yet in Bangalore it is only 70-80 percent electrified,” Pollinate Energy co-founder Kat Kimmorley said.
“What we’ve found is by providing a light, kids are going to school, mums are working in the evening.”
“They see opportunity and they have taken the next step to move upwards and onwards,” Kimmorley added.
Donate To The Indian Sun
Dear Reader,The Indian Sun is an independent organisation committed to community journalism. We have, through the years, been able to reach a wide audience especially with the growth of social media, where we also have a strong presence. With platforms such as YouTube videos, we have been able to engage in different forms of storytelling. However, the past few years, like many media organisations around the world, it has not been an easy path. We have a greater challenge. We believe community journalism is very important for a multicultural country like Australia. We’re not able to do everything, but we aim for some of the most interesting stories and journalism of quality. We call upon readers like you to support us and make any contribution. Do make a DONATION NOW so we can continue with the volume and quality journalism that we are able to practice.
Thank you for your support.
Best wishes,
Team The Indian Sun
