In the wake of severe power shortage in the State, the Greater
Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has cracked the whip on
advertising agencies to ensure judicious usage of available power.

The
advertising agencies within the city limits were ordered not to
illuminate hoardings from Saturday evening until further instructions.

GHMC
commissioner MT Krishna Babu issued the instructions after a meeting
with Mayor Mohammed Majid Hussain on Saturday. “Violation of the
instructions will be viewed seriously and action will be initiated
against the violators,” said Krishna Babu. Incidentally, 40 per cent of
the 3,300 hoardings in the city are illuminated after dark. “We can save
much needed power if the illumination is halted,” the GHMC commissioner
said.

Krishna Babu also instructed the maintenance staff of GHMC
electrical wing to switch on and switch off streetlights at the right
time. “Streetlights should be switched on after 7 pm only and should be
switched off before 5 am,” he ordered. He said that it was noted that in
several areas the maintenance staff was switching on streetlights by 5
pm and leaving them on till 8 am.

He opined that strict regulation
of street lighting can save power consumption for 2 to 3 hours every
day, which will amount to 20-25 per cent of the total electricity
consumption. The GHMC is using 20 million units every month for
streetlighting and provision of water supply to the city outskirts.
“Also, we are planning to replace sodium vapour lights and tubelights
with LED and CFL lamps. However, this plan is getting delayed due to
court cases and fund arrangements,” the commissioner said.