Environmental policy and administrative management

The project aimed to improve the lighting system in houses of Mendrelgang Geog under Tsirang Dzongkhag to reduce the carbon-dioxide emission and therefore, to reduce the emission of green house gases into the atmosphere. With this project, fuel is saved, carbon emission reduced and the intensity of solar light is higher than the naked kerosene lamps making the house look brighter improving the living standard of the rural households. The 190 households have been installed with solar lanterns and the farmers have been trained on how to use the lanterns. The panels are fixed on the roof toops or on the sides ofthe houses enabling the trapping of maximum of solar energy and the lanterns can be used for 5-6 hours everyday. Training on maintenance of solar lanterns was conducted on 1-2 October 2005 to 21 farmers in Mendrelgang Geog Office. The objective of the training was to build capacity of the community members so that minor repair of the lanterns can be done in the village itself so that the sustainability aspect is taken care of. The expenses incurred by the training will be paid from the project`s revolving fund which is already created. Gender Component: The Farmers Training on the repair and maintenance of the solar lanters has been conducted where 21 farmers had participated in the training. Amongst the 7 active women members, 4 women have the technical capacity. Since women and children are the ones to be affectedby the indoor air pollution caused by the naked kerosene lamps, they are relieved from it by the replacement of the solar lamps. The children also have a better lighting facility to do their studies at night. The changes brought about with the provision of solar lamps were mainly increase in efficiency of children`s study and ease of carrying out the household chores like cooking at night. Many women claimed that their houses look brighter, cleaner and less smoky. Other changes citied by both men and women are that the use of kerosene has been reduced, resulting in saving expenses.

Bhutan