Soon, you can charge your cell on the go

Hyderabad: Is your battery dying? Do not fret. A solar-powered mobile phone charger on the street could come to your rescue. Mupparaju Raja, 29, who runs NGO Palle Sujana, developed a mobile phone charging booth. Raja who hails from Duggondi mandal, Warangal, first set up the booth in Hanumakonda and is planning to install more in Hyderabad.

If everything goes according to plan, four mobile charging units would come up at Lumbini Park and one at the Secretariat. Raja says, "My inspiration to invent solar chargers is my mother. When she was hospitalised and my phone battery was dead and there was no other way to charge it. Later, with the help of Rural District Collector's permission I created solar chargers and placed it, which can be used in hospitals, railway stations, bus stations and just about anywhere.''

The chargers have already become a hit in several places, including Warangal Urban, Warangal Rural, Mahbubnagar, Khammam and Mulugu. The battery has to be changed once in three years for the battery-operated unit but for solar to solar, there is no maintenance required for 10 years.

The cost for assembling a solar-charging unit is Rs 12,000. Raja says, "It is the District Collector who usually sponsors the unit and is placed at a public place." He adds, "There is a great need for such units at hospitals. There are several instances when people are stranded and have no place to charge their phones."

By K Sahiti Rao