Ralegan Siddhi (Paperback)

High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles Ralegaon Siddhi (aka Ralegan Shindi) is a village in Parner Taluka of Ahmednagar District, Maharashtra, India. It is considered a model of environmental conservation. Since 1975, led by Anna Hazare, the village has carried out programs like treeplanting, terracing to reduce soil erosion and digging canals to retain rainwater. For energy, the village uses solar power, biogas (some generated from the communal toilet) and a windmill. The village's biggest accomplishment is in non-conventional energy. For example, all the village streets are lit by solar lights. Each light has a separate solar panel. In 1975 the village was afflicted by drought, poverty prevailed, and illicit liquor trade was widespread. The village tank could not hold water as the embankment dam wall leaked. Work began with the percolation tank construction. Hazare encouraged the villagers to donate their labor to repair the embankment. Once this was fixed, the seven wells below filled with water in the summer for the first time in memory.