As a kid, Raju Mupparapu would wonder why street lights were switched on as early as 5 pm. Sometimes, they’d remain on even in broad daylight, and he’d wonder how much electricity was going to waste.
So when this curious boy grew up, he decided to innovate a device which could sense the presence of natural light, and shut off accordingly.
The Telangana native’s device uses Light Dependent Resistor (LDR), which automatically detects the presence or absence of light and shuts off the main system controlling streetlights. It costs between Rs 3,000 to 3,500, he says.
Initially, he installed this device in 10 gram panchayats. After checking the bills for six months, the village heads realised the innovation had helped them save around 25-30 per cent in electricity bills!
The 31-year-old innovator always had an interest in electronics. “My father was an electrician, so that helped a bit. For this particular device, however, I did not take inputs from anyone and built it myself. I just felt it was such a waste if street lights were on during the day,” says Raju.
Today, his device has been installed in over 400 villages of Telangana.
Watch what other wonders this innovator is up to here:
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