THENI: Eighteen Paliyar tribal families with patta rights in Nochiodai, a remote settlement located 32 km inside the Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve (SMTR), have received solar power through a mini-grid established by the Forest Department. The project, funded by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), was implemented at a cost of Rs. 2.5 mn.

The settlement, which has a population of 76, had depended on kerosene lamps for several decades. Residents also had to travel outside the forest to charge mobile phones and access basic communication facilities, leaving the hamlet isolated after dark.

Under the Model Solar Tribal Village Project, the entire settlement has been electrified. The facilities include 36 solar street lights, solar-powered LED lamps in homes and mobile charging points. The community hall has also been connected to the system, allowing residents to gather there and watch television.

The project was launched in August 2025 and inaugurated on September 22. NABARD district development officer J Robinson Raja said it was the first solar-power project funded by the organisation in a tiger reserve. He said the initiative had balanced community rights recognised under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, with the requirements of wildlife conservation.

The new lighting is expected to improve safety for residents, particularly women and children, while reducing risks linked to encounters between people and wildlife. It is also expected to support children’s education, communication, access to information and livelihood activities. Community leader S Murugan said the electrification had enabled residents to use mobile phones freely and gather in the community hall. Resident Veerammal said lighting had made it safer for women to move outside at night and easier for children to study, giving the community a greater sense of dignity and connection with settlements outside the forest.