Kathmandu, May 31:

Residents of the Shey Phoksundo National Park (SPNP) buffer zone have started using solar energy instead of Diyalo (barks of trees) and kerosene for lighting purposes.

A World Wildlife Fund (WWF) officer, Ugan Manandhar, said with the current distribution of 251 solar sets supported by the Kadoorie Charitable Foundation, WWF Nepal in total has supported 692 households in the buffer zone.

With this addition, a total of 859 households in the higher Dolpa region now rely on solar electrification.

Each household has received a 21-watt solar unit that costs Rs 28,000. Of the total cost, 10 to 14 per cent is being borne by each household through local community users’ group.

“To enhance lighting and create a smokeless indoor environment, smokeless stoves have also been distributed,” Manandhar said.

Likewise, WWF Nepal, with support from USAID Nepal, commissioned a 35KW Chaalgadh Micro Hydro Scheme and a 29KW Mahadev Line Extension Scheme in the buffer zone areas of lower Dolpa in 2007, benefiting 181 and 149 households respectively.

Solar electrification assistance in the Upper Dolpa was earlier a part of Northern Mountains

Conservation Project in the Shey Phoksundo park, launched in collaboration with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation and the USAID Nepal.