A group of college students installed several electrical appliances that they had assembled over months and which will run on solar power at an ICDS center in Howrah’s Domjur on Saturday.

The group was trained under a pilot project of the Pratichi Trust. They were trained since February to assemble various parts and put together everyday electrical appliances like a light, a Copenhagen solar cooker, a fan and a water filter.

On Saturday, all the four appliances were put to use after they were installed at the Munshidanga Purba Sardarpara ICDS Center. Partha Sarathi Majumder, a professor of physics and one of those who trained the students, said the appliances were made at a cost way cheaper than what similar appliances in the market cost. He said two rooftop panels were fitted to run these appliances. “Most of the students were not even science students but they showed interest in learning these things. They learnt everything from scrath and have been able to make these appliances. They have also realised the worth of solar power,” said Majumdar.

Sabir Ahamed, the research coordinator with Pratichi Trust, said the project would both help reduce the emission of greenhouse gases by using sunlight and converting them into electricity and also provide some self-employment opportunities to those who were trained. “These students can now go on to make the appliances on their own. We will try to do something so that the training does not end with only installing the appliances on Saturday. This will be taken forward,” he said.

The students too expressed keeness to not abandon what they have learnt since February. Regular training sessions were held at the Deeniyat Muallima College in Santragachhi. Fahija Khatun, a second-year college student who was one of the trainees, said they will be able to make all the equipment on their own now if the parts are available with them. “We have to go to the markets, buy the parts and put together the equipment,” she said.

Zinat Parveen, another trainee and also a second-year undergraduate student, said they underwent rigorous training once every week for several months before they started to assemble the appliances. Zinat said she felt immensely happy when the room lit up on Saturday with the lights they had made with their own hands. Nineteen teenagers - eleven women and eight men- were trained as part of the project.

“This endeavour will help maintain anganwadi centres, healthcare centres and other places visited by people. We plan to install more such appliances in some other such centres,” said Ahamed.