The Hindu        20.12.2011

Mayor chairs meeting with zonal chairpersons

Mayor A.Jaya has instructed the zonal chairpersons to the elicit the views of councillors in the respective zones on the development works that are required to be implemented and on strengthening civic services, especially in terms of drinking water supply, garbage removal and street lighting.

Ms.Jaya gave the instruction while chairing a meeting with zonal chairpersons to discuss the development works that need to be taken up in the city, here on Monday. Earlier, Ms.Jaya directed Corporation officials to take up appropriate follow up action on the 30 petitions that were received during the public grievances meeting.

‘Elicit the views of councillors in the respective zones on development works'

The Hindu        16.12.2011

Corporation's power conservation measures yield dividends

New initiative: Coimbatore Corporation as part of energy conservation measures has gone in for LED bulbs in street lights. — PHOTO: S. SIVA SARAVANAN

During the April 2011 – March 2012 (based on estimates), the Corporation power load for street lights is expected to be around 5,600 kw. For such a consumption, the civic body will pay around Rs. 5.3 crore.

Rewind a couple of years ago to April 2009 to March 2010. Then the Corporation's load was 4,163 kw and it paid Rs. 6 crore.

Take one more data: the number of street lights during April 2009 to March 2010 was 2,548. During April 2011 to March 2012 it is 2,998.

In short, though the number of street lights and load has increased, the Corporation is paying a reduced sum to the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO).

Corporation Commissioner T.K. Ponnusamy attributes the fall in consumption charges to the energy-saving measures the civic body has taken. “Couple of years ago, the Corporation tied up with Salzer Electronics Limited to reduce power consumption by dimming street lights late in the night and also switching off alternate lights.”

Such a measure has helped the Corporation save nearly 40 lakh units in April 2010 to March 2011 and 86 lakh units this year.

As per the agreement between the Corporation and the company, the latter will get to enjoy the benefits for the first three or four years and thereafter the Corporation.

Agreement

It is part of the public-private partnership agreement, say Corporation engineers.

As a follow-up initiative, the Corporation has now gone in for LED bulbs in street lights. After switching on the bulb a couple of days ago, Mayor S.M. Velusamy said that the civic body would save about two-thirds of what it spent on sodium vapour or metal halide bulbs.

The Corporation will install LED bulbs in street lights in its added areas. As per an estimate the Corporation has about 30,000 lights in added areas.